The short answer is: from mere months to several years. It depends on many things. To get a more precise answer, you need to understand the key factors – game type, team size, and available resources. Our guide offers a timeline overview and dives into the stages and elements that determine ‘how long does it take to make a video game’.

Key Factors Impacting the Timeframe of Game Development

Developing a game follows a pipeline structure in which workflows, schedules, and budgets are coordinated, allowing for adjustments and improvements from the initial concept to the final product. Even something seemingly simple, such as designing one 3D element, can take from several hours for basic objects to months for complex, high-quality models.

Creating advanced animated characters or realistic weapons may require up to 70 or 40 days per developer respectively. So how much time does it take to craft just one game level, including all its components like props and set pieces? It could demand hundreds of workdays dedicated to refining the map through multiple rounds of quality assurance.

Game development is without doubt complicated and time-consuming, influenced by various factors such as:

• team expertise;
• available funding;
• project manager’s role;
• effective utilization of testers.

Factors Affecting Game Development Time

Ask a developer about the average game development time and you’ll usually get a shrug before anything else. There’s no single timeline. Big, graphics-heavy AAA games can take two years, five years, sometimes seven or more if the scope keeps growing. Large teams help move things along, but they also mean a lot of parts that all need to line up before a game feels ready.

What slows projects down isn’t always the obvious stuff. A mechanic that sounded brilliant early on can fall flat once people actually play it, and suddenly whole pieces of the design need another pass. Even decisions that seem minor at first — the engine, the art direction, the way content is structured — can quietly add months if they don’t fit the project as well as expected.

The Influence of Game Art

Game art isn’t just eye candy – it shapes how players feel inside your world. High-quality assets, characters, and environments can make a game unforgettable. But that level of detail eats time. One ornate 3D model might take weeks, while entire environments can stretch into months.

There are ways to keep things moving: start with a clear concept and style guide so the art team doesn’t get lost in endless revisions. Focus on what matters first – the hero, the main locations, the must-have props. And don’t be afraid to reuse or adapt existing assets. Players notice the experience, not how many new rocks your environment team modeled by hand.

Coding and Programming Considerations

Good code keeps everything running. Bad code slows the whole team down. Optimization issues, endless debugging, performance crashes – these can sink timelines fast.

The safer route? Break big systems into smaller, modular parts so problems are easier to track. Test often instead of waiting until the end. And pick tools that your team actually knows how to use. A fancy engine won’t save you time if no one on the team understands it.

Funding

Money sets the pace of development more than most people admit. A well-funded project can afford bigger teams, better tools, and shorter timelines. A shoestring budget? That means smaller scope or slower progress.

Options vary. Crowdfunding works if you’ve got a strong pitch and community backing. Publishers and investors bring resources but expect results. And yes, some devs bootstrap with their own savings – risky, but it keeps control in their hands.

Determining the Project’s Scope

Ambition can be a game’s best feature and its biggest trap. If your scope is too wide, development drags forever. If it’s too narrow, the game feels underwhelming.

The fix is balance. Nail down your core features first. Set milestones you can actually hit. And stay agile – change course if testing or feedback tells you something isn’t working. Scope creep kills games more often than bugs do.

Game Length

How many hours of content a game offers has a direct impact on how long it takes to build. Longer campaigns mean more levels, more assets, more testing. But length doesn’t always equal quality.

Focus on making the core gameplay loop satisfying first. A shorter but polished game beats a bloated one that overstays its welcome. Extra content can always come later through updates or expansions.

Depth of the World

Players love rich, detailed worlds – but world-building can double or triple dev time. Every mountain, every town, every lore book takes work.

A smarter way is to set up a framework. Create a foundation, then leave room to expand post-launch. Encourage exploration so players feel depth without needing to fill every corner with hand-made content right away.

Dealing with Unforeseen Setbacks

Here’s the hard truth: no matter how well you plan, things will go wrong. Engines break, features don’t click, deadlines slip.

The best defense is planning for it. Add buffer time to your schedule, communicate constantly within the team, and be ready to pivot. Sometimes the fastest way forward is admitting something isn’t working and trying a different approach.

Game Development Process Stages

Stages of game development involve three key phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. Each stage has responsibilities and timelines that contribute to creating a successful game.

1. The pre-production phase is crucial as it establishes the fundamental concepts of the game through tasks such as creating a detailed game design document and collaborating between creative roles for consistency.
2. In the production stage, various teams are involved in activities like prototyping, producing visual content, designing levels, and coding, which makes it one of the most time-consuming phases in the game development process. In this stage, more attention must be paid to quality than meeting deadlines.
3. The final phase; post-production includes bug fixing, patch releases, and may also involve developing additional bonus or downloadable content.

The choices made during pre-production significantly impact pitching strategies for selling/marketing purposes. This important step helps determine vital elements such as defining gameplay mechanics, outlining genre and dimensions, and deciding on art style. Selections made here can influence budgets/cost estimates along with project scopes. Stakeholders create proof-of-concept models based off these initial decisions to get an overall idea before moving forward.

How Long Does it Take to Create a Game Design Document?

A game design document (GDD) is the blueprint for the whole project. It outlines mechanics, level layouts, characters, enemies, storylines – basically the DNA of the game. How long does it take to write one? That depends.

For a mid-sized game, writing a game design document usually takes a few weeks, maybe a couple of months. Smaller projects can be quicker, while big ones drag on because there’s more detail to capture and more people involved. Designers, artists, programmers – everyone needs their say. Honestly, the timeline matters less than how well the team talks to each other. A sloppy GDD almost always leads to a sloppy game.

How Much Time is Required to Write the Code for a Video Game?

Coding is where ideas finally turn into something you can play. The timeline swings a lot. A simple indie game might be coded in a few months. A huge AAA project? That can drag on for years.

And coding isn’t just writing mechanics. Programmers also build AI systems, connect audio and graphics, and spend endless hours testing and fixing. Debugging eats more time than most people expect. That’s why good communication between coders, designers, and artists is key – if one group drifts off course, the whole project slows down.

How Long Does it Take to Create Sound Effects and Music for Video Games?

Audio is one of those things you only notice when it’s missing. A sharp sound effect, a tense beat, or a sweeping theme can carry the whole mood of a scene. But creating that takes time.

Sound effects might take weeks if they’re simple, months if they’re layered and complex. A full soundtrack often runs for several months at least. Composers brainstorm themes, record, edit, and then rework tracks so they fit perfectly with gameplay moments. Music isn’t just about sounding good – it has to click with the story and the feel of the game.

Genres of Music

The choice of music genre for a video game is a critical creative decision that affects player experience more than some people think. Different genres and styles set different moods:

• Orchestral – grand battles, sweeping adventures, emotional punch.
• Electronic – sci-fi vibes, fast action, futuristic settings.
• Ambient – calm, atmospheric, perfect for puzzles or exploration.
• Rock/Metal – raw energy, fits combat and high-intensity moments.

Adaptive Music

More studios are leaning into adaptive soundtracks – music that shifts in real time with the action. A fight starts and the tempo spikes. Explore a quiet area and the score softens. Pulling this off isn’t easy and takes extra coding, but when it works, it makes the world feel alive instead of just scored in the background.

How Long Does It Take to Develop AAA Games?

AAA development doesn’t really follow a pattern. Ask anyone in the industry how long does it take to make a AAA video game, and you’ll probably get a pause before anything else. Some projects pull together in a few years, others just keep expanding and shifting until the schedule barely resembles whatever the team planned at the start.

A lot can stretch things out. Maybe the team changes direction halfway through, maybe new hardware shows up and everyone has to adjust, maybe outside events slow everything down. You see it in the timelines for big AAA titles — some take close to a decade, some move surprisingly fast, and some drift for years because the vision keeps growing or falling apart and being rebuilt.

There are exceptions, too. A studio might finish a game quickly if they already have the tech ready or they’re working from an existing foundation. Other teams need far longer because every system is new and nothing can be reused. It’s unpredictable, and that’s kind of the point: once a project reaches AAA scale, the timeline becomes less of a straight path and more of a moving target.

How Long Does It Take to Develop Mobile Games?

The development times for mobile games vary greatly. Some are created quickly in a matter of months, while others can take several years to bring to market.

Simple games — like Super Mario Bros.-style 2D platformers or match-3 titles such as Candy Crush — usually don’t take long to build. Two to four months is often enough to get them playable and polished.

Genres with more moving parts — action/adventure games like Tomb Raider or sports titles like FIFA — stretch that timeline. Six months is quick, but a year or even 18 months is pretty normal.

At the far end are the heavyweights — RPGs and MMORPGs. Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft are good examples, as they have taken a long time to develop. These games can easily take two to five years before they’re ready, with all the massive worlds, deep systems, and endless balancing.

Multiple elements influence the duration of development for mobile games. The complexity, gameplay scope, and range of game mechanics are directly proportional to the time required for a mobile game’s creation. Assets like artwork, characters, environments, and animations can greatly impact the development length.

Moreover, the size of the team working in mobile game development company developing a mobile game can affect its timeline. A larger team has the potential to speed up production in this area.

Such factors contribute significantly to shaping the varying durations seen in creating these games — which typically take weeks or months — and this is an example that extends from Temple Run, which was developed within a four-month period through Pokémon Go’s progress over two years.

What is Development Hell?

Most game projects wander more than they march. Even something small – if you ask how long does it take to make a simple video game – can stretch longer than expected once ideas start changing or tools don’t behave the way they should. Scale that up to a full production, and it’s easy to see how teams end up stuck in what people call development hell.

Sometimes the slowdown isn’t about design at all. Maybe a tool stops behaving, maybe a platform update throws things off, or maybe something small turns out to be not so small once the team digs into it. And nobody wants to ship a game that doesn’t feel ready, because players remember launches more than promises.

Studios do what they can to stay ahead of problems. They keep an eye on areas that feel shaky and try to sort them out before they spread. Testers are usually the first ones to notice when something starts drifting in the wrong direction. Toward the finish line, the work shifts into a lot of little adjustments – cleaning up odd behavior, tightening interactions, smoothing spots that don’t quite land – all the quiet stuff that isn’t flashy but makes the final build hold together.

Development hell examples

Development hell refers to the chaotic and tumultuous state of affairs in the media and software industries. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as changes in game engines, understaffing, lack of a clear development plan, or bad rating of the game after launch. One notable example is the video game “The Day Before” by creator Fntastic shocked everyone by announcing its closure, citing The Day Before’s plunging player count and ‘overwhelmingly negative’ Steam user review rating. Not long after, Fntastic deleted the game’s online presence and removed the buy button from the Steam page.

Half-Life 2 (2004) came out 6 years after the original Half-Life (1998). Its production suffered the usual setbacks, and then a hacker stole an incomplete version to release it online. These examples highlight how creating games can become an extensive undertaking with various obstacles that need to be overcome before bringing a unique idea into fruition within their own respective game worlds.

Reasons for game delays

QA testing plays a vital role in the game development, identifying and resolving technical issues before launch. This phase helps examine games to discover bugs, glitches, and soft locks while adjusting difficulty levels for an immersive gaming experience.

It is important to note that difficult-to-fix problems found during QA testing can result in extended development time and potential delays for game releases. This showcases the commitment of game developers to delivering high-quality games that meet players’ expectations.

How to Reduce Game Development Time?

Developing a video game involves more than just coding and game programming. It is considered an independent art form. Crafting a game entails design, music, and sound effects that require time to perfect. Immersive gameplay requires realistic movements from characters, objects, and environments created by skilled animators. Sound engineering adds depth to the gaming experience through technical expertise and creative techniques.

Efficient game logic ensures smooth interactions between players and gameplay mechanics. To enhance visual appeal, texture artists are responsible for seamlessly creating high-quality textures, while FX artists add stunning effects like explosions or rain for environmental realism. Additionally, expert modelers play their part diligently to bring 3D models into existence, ranging from characters to props. Game artwork creation can take several years to work on highly detailed games like Cuphead’s distinctive hand-drawn style, developed over five years.

The Role of Game Engines in Development Time

Unreal Engine is one of the heavy hitters in game development. It’s packed with tools that work for both indie creators and massive studios, covering just about every stage of production. Developers like it because it offers high-end graphics right out of the box and a ton of built-in features — things that would normally take weeks to code can be dropped in with a click. That saves a lot of time.

Unity is another favorite. It’s known for being flexible and beginner-friendly, with a huge asset store that lets teams test ideas quickly. Want to prototype a level in a day? Unity makes that possible. While Unreal often gets praise for visuals, Unity wins points for speed and accessibility. Together, engines like these are what make modern development possible without every studio reinventing the wheel.

Assembling the Dream Team: Building an Efficient Development Team

Even the best engine can’t carry a game on its own – you need the right people. A dev team usually includes designers, programmers, artists, animators, and sound folks, each bringing their own piece to the puzzle. When that mix of skills clicks, production runs smoother and challenges don’t feel like roadblocks.

Good teams hit a kind of flow. The workload matches the talent, everyone’s in sync, and progress feels natural instead of forced. Of course, it’s not just about talent – project managers play a huge role in keeping resources and timelines realistic. With the right balance of people, tools, and planning, development time can shrink dramatically without cutting quality.

Kevuru Games Expertise in Game Development

Our AAA game company has a team of experienced game developers that will bring numerous benefits if engaged in your project. Their agile methodologies, regular progress tracking, and effective communication ensure optimal productivity. As the presence of creative and organized game designers and artists is crucial in efficiently transforming ideas into successful games.

We help our experts get continuous learning and innovation, deeply ingrained values within a seasoned development team, resulting in smoother game-creation processes. Most of our artists are highly skilled and participated in the development process for the most famous publishers like Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Lucasfilm. Our experienced game development company can significantly enhance the efficiency in creating top-notch games.

The post How Long Does It Take to Make a Video Game? appeared first on Kevuru Games.

AAA games are the blockbusters of the industry – the gaming equivalent of Hollywood’s biggest productions. Budgets often climb into the hundreds of millions, and the teams are massive. Programmers, artists, designers, writers, audio engineers – dozens of disciplines come together to build worlds that feel almost unreal.

Because of that scale, AAA games are expected to hit the highest bar for graphics, polish, and gameplay quality. Players look at them as the “big event” releases – the ones with cinematic trailers, massive marketing pushes, and a promise of spectacle.

The video game industry’s tendency is for the market to grow and for AAA publishers to invest in finding intricate ideas to elevate interaction with the game, meeting expectations and the high standards of top AAA game companies.

The overall tendency in the video games market is that it is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.76% between 2024 and 2027, resulting in a projected market volume of $363.18bn by 2027.

Source: Statista

How AAA Studios Shape Gaming Trends

AAA game studios have a way of nudging the whole industry in new directions. It’s not only the size of their teams or the money behind them. It’s the fact that they can take a swing at ideas that might be too risky or too expensive for smaller groups. New tech hits their desks early, and most of the time they’re the first ones to actually build something with it – new engines, odd mechanics, VR experiments, whatever feels worth trying next. To learn more about top-tier titles, read our article with examples of AAA games.

Innovation in Gameplay and Technology

If you think back to the moments when games really shifted – when players suddenly realized, “oh, games can do this?” – a lot of those breakthroughs came from big studios. The jump from tight, linear levels to a real open world with GTA III. Or how Portal used physics to mess with your expectations in the best way. Those weren’t small steps. Someone had room to experiment until something interesting took shape.

And technically speaking, AAA teams tend to push hardware the hardest. Advanced lighting, smooth physics, believable NPC behavior – those improvements usually show up in high-budget titles first. Once the tech settles, everyone else starts using it.

VR and AR followed a similar pattern. Early versions were clunky, but once large studios put serious effort into them, the experiences started to feel… well, like actual games rather than prototypes.

Setting Standards for Graphics

People often talk about visuals when they talk about AAA games, and for good reason. These studios pour huge resources into performance capture, materials, lighting setups – anything that helps the world feel present rather than just visually sharp.

But realism doesn’t end with how things look. It’s also the weight of animation, the timing of a jump, the way the sound wraps around a space. That combination is what convinces players they’re inside the world, even if only for a moment.

Community Engagement

One thing that has changed a lot: AAA studios don’t treat release day as the finish line anymore. Communities form instantly, they react loudly, and studios have learned to stay in the conversation. Discord servers, social channels, forum threads – they listen, at least when they’re smart about it.

Updates, tweaks, balance passes, new seasons – that’s the new life cycle. “Games as a service” didn’t appear out of nowhere. It grew naturally from this constant loop between studio and players.

Downloadable Content

DLC is always a touchy topic. Sometimes players love the extra content. Sometimes they don’t. AAA teams walk that fine line between expanding the game and making sure players don’t feel like they’re being pushed too hard toward optional purchases. When they get it right, the game feels supported rather than squeezed.

Narrative-Driven Games

Big studios have leaned more into story in the past few years. Complex arcs, moral choices, quieter emotional moments – there’s more room for all of that now. Writing teams are just as essential as art or engineering teams.

Cross-Platform Play and Cloud Gaming

Cross-platform play isn’t really a bonus anymore – most big releases are expected to support it. Players want to jump in together no matter what they’re using, whether it’s a PC, a console, or a phone. Cloud gaming pushes that idea even further by letting people run heavy games without needing powerful hardware at home.

In-Game Economy

AAA studios rely heavily on continued monetization – battle passes, cosmetics, recurring events. Not because they want to flood players with transactions, but because long-term development needs long-term funding. Indie teams experiment with these systems too, though usually at a gentler scale.

Key Roles in AAA Development

Big AAA game development companies rely on a whole mix of people doing very different jobs. There’s usually a Game Director keeping the big picture in mind, and someone on the production side making sure the team actually gets things done on time. Designers handle the moment-to-moment feel of the game, and level designers shape the areas players move through.

Art tasks are split across several groups – concept artists sketch out the look, character and environment artists build what you actually see, and animators give everything motion. On the technical end, programmers deal with gameplay code, AI behavior, performance issues, and all the tools the rest of the team needs.

Writing and audio carry more weight than people sometimes assume. The writers sort out the story threads and how characters talk, while the sound team builds the atmosphere with effects and music. Even small sounds – a menu click, a sword hitting armor – change how the whole game feels.

Then there’s QA. Testers spend their days trying everything players might do and a lot of things players aren’t supposed to do. They look for anything strange or inconsistent and send it back to be fixed. It’s not glamorous, but without that step the whole project would fall apart fast.

All of these groups overlap, sometimes in unexpected ways, and the game only really comes together once everyone’s work fits. When that happens, you start to see the “AAA” feel emerge – not because of any single department, but because every piece finally clicks with the others.

How to Choose AAA Game Developers

Partnering with the top AAA game company helps your creative idea come true. There are many skilled video game studios in the industry, each with different strengths. You must think carefully to pick the best one for a successful partnership.

When looking for an AAA game studio partner, search for studios with a range of successful game titles and genres that match your project. Their skills and knowledge will help greatly with the challenges of AAA game development.

Working with a team that values new ideas is vital for the game’s success. When you’re looking for a partner studio, it’s not just about the shiny marketing — it’s about how they actually work with people. A good studio encourages open talks, values feedback, and keeps the atmosphere team-focused instead of siloed.

1. Expertise and Experience – Years in the market and a proven record across different genres, styles, and platforms.
2. Portfolio – Finished games that aren’t just technically solid but also creative and commercially successful.
3. Client Feedback – Positive reviews from past partners and games that were well received by the community.
4. Technical Potential – Strong chops in engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, plus skills in AR/VR and AI.
5. Team Size and Skill Set – Developers, designers, artists, testers – a full roster of specialists to keep projects moving smoothly.
6. Project Management – Clear workflows, structured communication, and agile methods that prevent bottlenecks.
7. Budget and Pricing – Flexible, competitive models that balance cost with quality.

Nobody likes dealing with contracts, but skipping the details is asking for trouble. Scope, deadlines, who owns what – it all needs to be on paper. Otherwise, arguments pop up halfway through and stall the project. Even small studios with tight budgets can usually find middle ground – maybe scaling back a feature, maybe stretching timelines – so both sides walk away happy enough to keep going.

Triple A Studios: Crafting the Rockstar Games We Love

The best AAA game companies are usually the names everyone recognizes, even people who don’t pay much attention to the industry. These studios run huge teams, work with budgets closer to film productions than traditional software, and use tech that pushes consoles and PCs harder than almost anything else. When they put out a game, it doesn’t feel like a regular release – it feels like the whole world stops to look.

What really sets them apart isn’t only the scale. When a new GTA lands, or when a Last of Us sequel drops, the bar moves. Visual quality, storytelling, online features – whatever these studios refine ends up shaping what players expect from everyone else. Their work becomes the yardstick the rest of the industry is measured against.

If you’re planning a project that needs that level of depth or polish, our list of top studios is a good starting point. Many of the best AAA game companies have shipped globally known titles and understand how to handle complex production pipelines, making them strong candidates for collaboration or co-development.

Kevuru Games Expertise in AAA Video Games

Key Takeaways

Kevuru, as a AAA development studio, maintains high art standards using its professional expertise and follows the client’s game vision, implementing innovative techniques and various art styles.

Creative Art Directors and knowledgeable Project Managers lead the team, ensuring quality control, regular progress reports, and efficient project risk management.

We offer to delve into the strengths of this AAA studio to understand what potential collaboration may bring you as a client:

• With a pool of 300+ skilled professionals and dedicated teams, Kevuru can handle complex, extensive projects. Its team selection is based on technical skills and offers diverse expertise across multiple disciplines. Kevuru Games follows a streamlined workflow designed to optimize efficiency – projects stay on schedule while maintaining consistently high quality.
• The art team is one of the company’s strongest assets. Characters, creatures, vehicles, weapons, props, animations – across 2D and 3D – are crafted to match a client’s vision. Some projects require photorealism, others call for a more stylized look, and the team has the range to deliver both.
• Innovation plays a role, too. By weaving in VR, AR, and AI, Kevuru helps partners create games that feel current and competitive. The studio has completed more than a hundred projects and worked with publishers like Epic Games, EA, and Lucasfilm – experience that has shaped reliable pipelines and consistent delivery.
• Kevuru is also a full-cycle developer. From early concept sketches to programming, art production, and QA, every stage can be handled under one roof. That reduces friction between teams and ensures the final result feels cohesive.
• For publishers, this means more than just outsourcing tasks. It’s about having a partner that can meet industry standards, bring new ideas, and help titles succeed in a global market.

Final Insights

Studios in the industry are usually grouped into AAA, AA, and indie categories – the split is based on things like budget, scope, and production values. AAA games sit at the top, often costing hundreds of millions to make, and they set the bar for quality.

Big AAA developers are the trendsetters. Their budgets give them room to experiment with new gameplay systems and push into areas like VR, AR, the metaverse, and cloud gaming. They also invest heavily in advanced graphics engines, motion capture, and lifelike animations – all aimed at making their games feel more immersive.

If you’re looking for a partner on a AAA project, it pays to weigh their track record – the experience of their team, their portfolio, feedback from past clients, and their ability to handle complex pipelines. Costs matter too, but collaboration with a seasoned AAA studio gives your project the best chance of reaching the finish line with industry-leading quality.

The post Top AAA Game Companies in Europe: Expert Review on Key Services and Projects appeared first on Kevuru Games.

The visual component of the game is the first thing that players see and evaluate before starting the first game session. Trailers and screenshots fueling interest in the upcoming entertainment project give rise to a discussion of the level of graphics and its compliance with modern realities. Of course, then conversations about the plot, gameplay, mechanics, bugs (if any), and other value judgments will be added.

But graphics come first.

According to Newzoo and GamesIndustry, in 2024, the number of players in the world exceeded 3.4 billion people, and the industry’s revenue is projected to reach $187.7 billion. People are ready to part with money if you offer them a high-quality, interesting product that stands out and catches the eye.

That is why it is so important to make game art at the highest possible level. Art that’s what:

• embodies the idea;
• creates an atmosphere;
• shapes the style;
• evokes specific emotions, etc.

Art should surprise, attract attention, and meet the needs of modern gamers. And if you are not sure that you can create such flawless art on your own, then art outsourcing services are the best thing that can happen to you.

Why Should Art Tasks Be Outsourced to Video Game Companies?

Game art outsourcing companies are, first of all, strongholds accumulating qualified specialists within their walls. People who specialize in game art, have a solid portfolio and, moreover, are collected in one place look much more preferable than lonely freelancers who drift in the game art ocean without guides, leads, and a special goal other than making quick money.

This doesn’t mean that freelancers don’t perform well. It’s just that the likelihood that they will be inspired by your project and will work at full capacity is much lower than that of experts from some outsourcing company. The latter care at least not only about their earnings, but also about the image of their art outsourcing studio. In a highly competitive environment, image and reputation sometimes play a decisive role.

So, we’ve already noted that art outsource studios have a ready pool of experienced professionals. In addition, they will offer you:

1. Adaptability. A team of specialists will be selected specifically for your project.
2. Profile. The studio will select artists who are best versed in the type of art you need.
3. Speed. By accepting obligations and concluding a contract with you, art outsourcing companies will complete everything on time or promptly report any delays.
4. Quality. This is about the already discussed image – art outsource studios will try to do everything at the highest level so that you refer to them in the future or recommend them to your friends.
5. Convenience. The game art outsource company takes care of all organizational issues, team management, technical equipment, etc., adjusting to your needs – you just follow their progress by providing adjustments, additions, or updates.
6. Security. All your materials are safe, because the common practice of game art outsourcing companies is to sign a non-disclosure agreement before starting work.

The advantages are obvious, but how do you make the right choice?

Why So Important to Choosing Game Outsourcing Company?

You couldn’t help but notice that there are a lot of game art outsourcing companies out there. The list of their services is about the same, in any case, 2D/3D art and animation are definitely on this list. Then how to choose a partner who will do everything at the highest level? After all, art outsource studios are also different. Some may be new to the market and lack experience. Some may not have expertise in the art direction you want. Some may have problems with management and, accordingly, timing.

How to Choose Most
Reliable Game Outsourcing Company?

Let’s not be cunning – we have already created a checklist of key questions, the answers to which will help you decide on the choice of a reliable partner in the gaming field. Studying the portfolio, checking the company profile on independent data-driven platforms such as GoodFirms and Clutch, researching technical expertise, and clarifying the look of the standard workflow – here are a few points that will light up dark spots in the appearance of the chosen studio. You can see the rest of the points in our checklist for choosing a reliable and responsible game design company.

Dive Deeper:
✔ How to Choose a Reliable Game Design Company? [Checklist] – Practical Tips!

In short, here are the main points to pay attention to:

Now let’s go directly to the list of companies that deserve your attention. Of course, you are wondering how we picked them up and whether chance run the show here. Not really.

Selection Methodology

We carefully analyzed independent resources such as GoodFirms, Clutch, DesignRush, and others to find reliable art outsource studios with the best value for money that will not cost you a fortune. We checked their:

• technical expertise;
• works confirming this expertise;
• client reviews;
• case studies with collaboration breakdown;
• trird-party materials describing various implemented projects.

Game Outsourcing Companies That Will Create the Perfect Art for You

Kevuru Games

Kevuru Games is a game art outsourcing company that deals not only with art and animation, but also full-fledged game development from scratch. There are all the necessary resources and specialists for this, from artists and programmers to testers and sound designers. At the same time, the studio is ready to help even if you do not have a specific concept for a future game: its staff contains experienced game designers who will offer up-to-date ideas and mechanics.

For 10 years of work, the art outsourcing studio delivered 100+ projects and managed to work on 2D game art outsourcing and 3D game art outsourcing studio for such companies as Lucasfilm, Epic Games, EA, GoodGame, Socialpoint, Nanobit, and others, who appreciated the team’s dedication to gaming. At the same time, the share of repeated and extended cases of cooperation exceeds 70%. The Kevuru Games team covers full-cycle game development and offers the following expertise:

ZVKY

ZVKY is an Indian game art studio that specializes mainly in 2D and 3D art. Over the past 10 years, the company has worked on more than 350 different game projects with publishers such as Zynga, Ubisoft, and Activision.

The game art outsource company has a particularly strong portfolio of slot art and extensive experience with art for HOPA games. So if at this stage you are only interested in good quality art at an affordable price, then this company will be a good choice.

Room 8 Studio

Room 8 Studio is a full-cycle game studio offering all the services you need to create a complete game. A special feature of the studio is the photorealistic AAA-level art – this is confirmed by the numerous photorealistic works in their portfolio, from game assets to vehicles and characters. The team also ranks with professional video game film art outsourcing companies: they deal with cinematics, background scenes, and game trailers for PC/console games, and UA videos for mobile games.

The company partnered with major publishers such as Remedy, Ubisoft, Gameloft, and others to deliver high-quality artwork. This studio would be an excellent choice if you are planning a large-scale game with realistic graphics. if you want simpler art, for example, for casual games, it is better to pay attention to other game art outsourcing companies.

Starloop Studios

Starloop Studios is a Spanish game development and art company. It offers flexible terms of hiring game developers and artists in accordance with different collaboration models, develops games from scratch and ports them to different platforms.

A special feature of the company is AR/VR development. Game art services are classic here: 2D and 3D art and animation, concept art, and UI/UX design. Notable clients of the studio include Disney, Ubisoft, and Blizzard Entertainment.

N-iX Game & VR studio

N-iX Game & VR studio is one of the oldest game companies in Ukraine, specializing in the creation of full-cycle games, VR solutions, as well as outsourcing 2D and 3D game art and animation. The team is engaged in both simple art for mobile games and photorealistic art for advanced 3D games.

The studio’s clients are Wargaming, Paradox Interactive, Trese Brothers, and others. The team includes the majority of top-level specialists, which allows them to perform tasks of varying complexity. The art outsourcing studio also has an in-house OptiTrack motion capture system that helps to create top class animations.

Melior Games

Melior Games is a Ukrainian game art outsourcing company that specializes in 2D art. Their portfolio includes many stylized and realistic 2D works. Over the years, the company has delivered more than 120 projects in 2D and 3D art, animation, and game development for mobile devices and PC.

The team has a separate department dealing with the creation of art for slot and card games and has good experience in this area. It is also one of the few art outsourcing studios that are blockchain-oriented and ready to provide blockchain development services.

Stepico Games

Stepico Games is a Ukrainian art outsource studio that is engaged in the creation of game art, game programming on the Unity engine, as well as the creation of AR/VR-based applications. The company’s clients include Rovio, NBC Universal, and Section.

The team has completed over 25 successful projects. Among the features of its expertise is blockchain game development – their portfolio contains a similar project in the form of a mobile blockchain-supported RPG game. The team has positive customer reviews and a large enough team to implement projects of various sizes.

Pingle Studio

Pingle Studio is a Ukrainian game art studio that deals with 2D and 3D art and animation, concept and character creation, , as well as full-cycle development and co-development. But its main feature is porting games using Unity and Unreal Engine. It has a lot of experience in this area, including porting to PS4, PS5, and Xbox One, so be sure to pay attention to this studio if you want your game to be released on more than one platform.

The team has worked with clients such as Qualcomm, SquareEnix, and 505 Games, providing co-development, porting, creating art and animation, and game testing services.

Whimsy Games

Whimsy Games is a small but inspired and professional Ukrainian team of developers and artists specializing mainly in the development of mobile games and the creation of art for them. They already have a fairly large portfolio of projects related to 2D art, so if you are interested in this area, then it makes sense to pay attention to this studio.

The team is very customer-oriented and attentive to the wishes of their customers. Due to this, over 4 years of work, they managed to successfully deliver more than 150 projects for 70+ clients. In addition to 2D art, the studio also offers the services of 3D artists and animators.

Pixune

Despite its small size and relatively small age, the Polish company Pixune has already established itself as a real pro in the field of game art and especially animation. Animation is a special pride of the studio – it has a number of awards for its animated works.

The team offers professional services in the areas of character creation and 3D animation. The number of characters created by the studio has exceeded 2000. In addition, it is engaged in 2D and 3D game art. Here you will find more than affordable prices without sacrificing quality and a very inspired team that is very attentive to every project, no matter the size.

How Kevuru Games Will Help You Achieve the Best Results

As you can see, most of the companies offer roughly the same set of services, but almost each has its own feature, a strength that you should pay attention to if you are looking for a specific service.

Some are particularly good, fast and skilled at 2D art, while others are more focused on photorealistic 3D art and animation. Some companies have never dealt with slots and HOPA games, while the portfolio of others is replete with art representing these genres. Explore the profiles of game art outsourcing companies and choose the partner that suits you best in terms of the expertise you need.

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The company doesn’t stand still and constantly strives to develop in new areas. This is how outstaffing directions appeared, which are preferable for some clients in terms of hiring artists, as well as game testing and porting services, and a major new enterprise gamification department, which is already actively functioning and gaining clients.

Whatever art you need, Kevuru Games will make it. A portfolio with versatile art is at your service to confirm these words. Professional artists will not only implement your idea, but will also provide optimization recommendations that will help your project stand out in the saturated gaming market.

The post 10 Most Trusted & Highly Professional Game Art Outsourcing Companies in 2025 appeared first on Kevuru Games.

Why Choosing a Game Testing Company is so Important?

At first glance, it may seem that everyone can test the game. After all, you just need to play a lot, find errors, and report them. But it’s not that easy. Most often, players find bugs by accident, at some point getting stuck in textures or finding a shortcut where it should not be.

Let’s look at a few examples of the difference between a player and a tester.

The last point is especially funny: many players love to find bugs and shortcuts to create funny videos or speedruns. Therefore, it is especially important for testers to calculate all possible scenarios for treacherous players. Frankly, this often does not work out very well, and in most games, players still find the opportunity to use some kind of bug to record the desired speedrun.

So what do we see? We see that the tester must actually turn the game mechanics inside out and do everything that the player can theoretically do:

• climb into the most unthinkable place;
• do not follow the script of the game;
• use an alternative skill to the one suggested;
• change the sequence of the proposed actions;
• try to get into a zone that opens only when you reach a certain level, etc.

After that, the results of the checks are entered into a special checklist. Such a monotonous routine activity can only be done by assiduous and scrupulous people. Who, of course, also have an idea about the theory of testing: types of testing, test cases, test plans, bug reports, methods for determining the required amount of tests, databases, SQL queries, and so on.

We’re not here just to play your game and find a couple of bugs along the way. We have gathered to select a qualified team of testers who will study your game inside and out.

Why is it so important?

The fact is that the cost of correcting any error and the time that needs to be spent on it increases with each stage. What takes an hour at the prototyping stage can take days, or even weeks, if it’s done, say, after release.

Remember the rule, which is the same for all types of games: if at the initial stage a few seemingly insignificant mistakes are made, then in the end we will probably miss the deadline or spend much more money on correcting them.

QA specialists investigate the game at all stages, prioritizing bugs and preventing them from accumulating in a snowball of pain, horror, and fear.

How to Choose the Most Reliable Studio?

Among a large number of game testing companies, choosing the right one can be a challenge. How to understand whether a company is really good and in general how it is better than others if all of them, in fact, offer a standard package of testing services?

When compiling your list of game testing companies, first of all, be guided by the following positions:

1. Good reputation.
2. Positive reviews from other clients.
3. A wide range of services provided (key types of testing for games – functional, compatibility, performance, and compliance)
4. Great experience.
5. Expert knowledge.
6. Debugged methodology and scheme of work with the customer.
7. Continuous professional development at specialized pieces of training.

Most of this information can be seen on the testing studio website: years on the market, tools used, types of testing, customer reviews, etc. You can learn more about the procedure for working with clients by requesting the appropriate information – experienced video game testing companies will have no problems answering this question.

We have saved you the trouble of researching random video game testing companies and are ready to offer a pre-formed list of studios, selected according to specific criteria.

Selection Criteria

In selecting the following best game testing companies, we have relied on information obtained from their websites and third-party independent platforms: GoodFirms, Clutch, DesignRush, etc. The key selection criteria were:

• 5+ years on the market;
• the presence of the main types of game testing;
• the availability of reviews from previous customers;
• the presence and description of implemented testing cases.

Top Video Game Testing Companies

Kevuru Games

Kevuru Games is a full-cycle Ukrainian gaming company that offers to your attention our 3D character artists portfolio. This means that all the specialists who can create and launch a full-fledged game from scratch are gathered here: game designers, artists, developers, sound engineers and, of course, testers.

Game testing has been placed in a separate category and is available both as part of the full cycle game creation and as a separate service, which you can resort to by contacting the company with your product.

The studio’s QA specialists offer key types of in-game testing:

1. Functional – checking the compliance of the game with the planned requirements.
2. Compatibility – checking the compatibility of the game with all necessary devices, operating systems, resolution and hardware.
3. Performance – checking the loading speed of the game, the reaction of the game to the player’s actions and key game events.
4. Compliance – checking the compliance of the game with the requirements of the platform or several platforms for which it is intended.

Kevuru Games experts have experience in testing PC, mobile, and web games, 3D character modeling services – we have a list of completed projects, a detailed description of the QA team, and the role of each member in the game testing procedure, as well as a list of tools used by testers.

The company carefully monitors the latest trends and updates its range of skills. In addition to testing classic games, the team also has experience and expertise in fixing bugs for the metaverses and blockchain-based games.

A special advantage of the studio is precisely that our experts know everything about games from the inside. So, if you hire 3D modeler from us, you’ll get 3D modeling services price, production and QA. So the testing services here are organically integrated into the game creation cycle, and the developers and testers have direct contact with each other in order to implement the necessary edits as quickly as possible.

QAwerk

The Ukrainian company QAwerk works with different types of software testing. One of the services is game testing. Here you will find the necessary teams to implement testing of:

• mobile games;
• PC games;
• console games (PlayStation, and Xbox);
• AR and VR games.

The types of testing provided are functional, compatibility, performance, and compliance. Customer reviews are positive, and the procedure for obtaining a quote is very quick and easy. The team has been ranked among the best testing companies many times by the Clutch, GoodFirms, and DesignRush platforms.

iXie Gaming

iXie Gaming is a division of Indium Software that exclusively provides gaming testing of video games for consoles, PCs, AR/VR, and mobile devices. Thanks to the focus on gaming testing, this company has managed to assemble a dedicated and enthusiastic team that knows everything about games.

Testers have the knowledge and skills to test games of all kinds and genres − the company’s track record includes over 450 titles in a variety of stylistic directions. A special advantage of the studio is the availability of more than 1000 devices for testing: 550+ mobile devices (iOS, Android & Kindle), consoles (Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation), VR devices (Oculus, HTC, PlayStation VR) and PCs (Windows, Mac & Linux).

Pingle Studio

Ukrainian gaming company Pingle Studio focuses on porting and testing services. The studio’s specialists provide a full range of assistance, from testing mobile games to quality control of multiplayer games. Here you will find a classic set of testing types: functional, non-functional, regression, and others.

The studio’s expertise covers all the most common game engines and key tools needed to test games for PC, mobile devices, and the most popular consoles – Xbox, Nintendo, and PlayStation. There are many case studies with a detailed description of the work done, as well as positive customer reviews.

Snoop Game

This is another Ukrainian studio that specializes exclusively in game testing. Here you can be sure that testers know exactly what they are dealing with. The platforms tested include PCs with all key operating systems, all known consoles, mobile devices, web, Smart TV, AR/VR/MR, but the company is also ready to purchase any other hardware at the request of the client if it is not available.

The testing procedure at SnoopGame is flexible and scalable. At the same time, the client receives exclusively necessary services without the need to control the team and provide it with the necessary resources. In addition to the main types of testing, you will find a QA audit and consultation service that allows assessing the quality of your internal processes and identifying gaps in the quality control procedure.

QA Madness

The Lithuanian testing team of QA Madness has many years of experience in software testing. Although game testing is not the only focus of the company, there are experienced professionals who can implement the quality assurance you need based on your game, platform, and target audience.

This company is more than 12 years old, so it has a very large number of clients and cases. It boasts the largest number of reviews of any game testing company presented, with most of the reviews being positive. Testimonials can be found both on the website itself and on other reputable platforms like Gartner and Clutch.

Among the available cases, we can single out the work on a mobile game, for which the studio has successfully implemented functional, compatibility, and UI testing to make sure that the game application works on different iOS devices. So you can feel free to apply for mobile game testing services. As for testing games for PC and consoles, there are no confirmed cases for the implementation of such works.

Starloop Studios

If you are attracted to full-cycle gaming companies, then take a look at Starloop Studios. It is a Spanish game development company that provides a full range of game development services, from design and prototyping to testing, maintenance, and porting.

Here you will find all the classic types of testing: functional, compatibility, user interface, and performance. The company is also testing multiplayer and AR/VR games. Positive reviews and a solid customer list also add to the positive image of this testing studio.

Testbytes

Testbytes is an Indian testing studio that has managed to gain a good reputation in a short period. They have a pretty decent track record and clients all over the world.

Game testing is one of the many services the company offers, as it also deals with other types of testing.

They have a large team of testers who have years of experience and familiarity with various game testing scenarios. In addition to testing games for PC and mobile devices, QA specialists here are able to work with console, online, and AR/VR games. The website contains comprehensive information about the types of testing offered, the operating procedure, and the games already tested.

QATestLab

QATestLab is a testing studio with a large experience in testing games of various genres for such platforms as PC, Web, AR/VR, and mobile devices. The company has a separate department dedicated to game testing and can boast 10+ years in game testing and 800+ successfully implemented game projects.

The studio has a fairly large portfolio of tested games for Android and iOS, a sufficient resource base for testing game mechanics, logic, sound, animation, art, navigation, and other things to make sure that the game is user-friendly. Conveniently, the company describes in detail the process of conducting game testing.

It is important to mention that the testers have a large pool of 350+ real devices for testing (mobile phones, PCs, and VR headsets) and experience working with 40+ testing tools.

BugRaptors

Another Indian testing studio, BugRaptors offers high-quality and low-cost testing services for both software and games. In addition to the classic types of gaming testing, the company offers so-called audio and video testing – checking the purity of sounds and audibility in mobile and console games.

Skillful testers also work with AR/VR game applications, find localization errors and have access to a large number of iOS and Android devices for testing. The company has positive reviews and a sufficient number of case studies to get their expertise confirmed.

The Average Salary for Game Testers

The information is based on the average hourly rate of game testers listed on platforms such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and Payscale.

How Kevuru Games Will Help You Achieve the Best Results

As you can see, there is no shortage of game testing services on the market. There are many top game testing companies in the world. They have different levels, experience, and prices. But only the studio that deals with games, loves games, and knows everything about the inner workings of games can thoroughly check your game for errors. Kevuru Games falls under all these points, because for 10 years we have been creating games for mobile devices and PCs, developing art and animation for games, thinking over level design and game mechanics. Our experts know what each line of code in the game is responsible for, so not a single mistake will escape us.

A fully staffed department of game testers is ready to test your finished game for bugs or become a link in the full-cycle development of a new game from scratch, which you can also organize with Kevuru Games. We have all the necessary tools, skills, knowledge, and experience to guarantee you a flawless gaming product that will pleasantly surprise players who will not be able to find bugs in it.

Do not hesitate and just tell us about your project in need of testing, and we will provide detailed advice and recommendations from our specialists.

Want to discuss your upcoming project?
Our experts are just a click away.

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The post Top Game Testing Companies in 2025: 10 Professional Teams to Pay Attention To appeared first on Kevuru Games.

A well-developed character is a person with his, her or even its own past, temperament, characteristics, pains, fears, preferences, advantages and disadvantages. And if writers outline the image of a character with the help of words that evoke images, then a character artist outlines the image of a character with the help of images that evoke (in a successful scenario) words.

If writers outline the image of a character with the help of words that evoke images, then a character artist outlines the image of a character with the help of images that evoke words.

What is a good character artist? Someone who was able to tell the story of a character through the smallest details of his or her appearance. The main weapon of artists is the visual, and it depends on how they know how to manage it, whether this character will fall directly into the player’s heart or be forgotten in five minutes.

Drawing a character beautifully and realistically is not all. The character’s appearance should not be silent and demand admiration only for its gloss, polished to perfection. The character’s appearance should speak, and speak a lot. The more thoughts, associations, guesses and assumptions a person has when looking at a character, the better this character is worked out. So this character is really alive.

What is a Character Design Company?

Characters are expectedly created by character artists. The habitats of such artists can rightfully be considered game art studios or companies completely focused on creating characters.

It must be understood that although we are talking about game characters, they can be created for other purposes and directions. Characters are also created for the film industry and advertising goals. There is such a thing as a mascot – a character personifying a brand and presenting its products and services to customers.

Creating a character for a movie, commercial, or game are completely different things. Therefore, when choosing character design studios, notice in which direction they work and what kind of characters they are creating.

Why Choosing Character Design Services is so Important?

Character creation is not cheap. This requires a thorough study of the concept, background, temperament, unless, of course, you want to get an impressive result that will work. Therefore, before starting this business, you need to understand exactly what result you want to get, what emotions the character should evoke, what his or her role in your product will be.

The choice of the character design company plays an equally important role in this. Even if you have thoroughly thought out the biography and history of the character, this does not mean that the first studio that comes across will be able to implement it. The artists there may simply lack experience or inspiration and passion to fill a character with them. The latter is no less important than a high drawing skill – an impeccably drawn character without a soul embedded in it will look like a bright wrapper with nothing inside.

How to Choose Most Reliable Character Design Studio?

A good studio is three key factors:

1. Experience.
2. Discipline.
3. Inspiration.

The first can be verified by examining the company profile on its website and third-party platforms such as Clutch or GoodFirms. There is always the year the company was founded. In addition, on the company’s website, there is always a list of services that it provides and a portfolio showing work in different areas.

The second is not as easy to check as the first, and there is always an element of certain risk. But you can always go to the same independent sites like Clutch or GoodFirms and read the reviews of previous clients of character design studios. If a company has problems with timing, communication or understanding with a client, most often such nuances are indicated in reviews. If a company does not have a single review, this is a reason to think. But if you liked it so much that the lack of reviews does not bother you, ask its representatives for comprehensive information on the structure of the work process and warn them in advance about strict timings or special requirements.

Checking the third may seem like an unrealistic task, but in reality, it is not that difficult. In a sense, this is even easier than checking discipline. Just look at the portfolio. There you will see the characters created by the company. Based on what we talked about above, you should at first glance feel whether the artists put some of themselves into characters or whether they created empty glossy dummies. If you want to look at the characters, delve into their facial features, make assumptions about where this scar or this bitter curve of the mouth comes from, then everything is fine. And your project is in good hands.

Selection Methodology

The list of character creation companies that we suggest below is based on research from independent resources such as GoodFirms, Clutch and DesignRush, as well as companies’ websites. We selected companies with more than 5 years of experience in creating characters, a thematic portfolio of characters that allows us to assess the level of skill of artists, and reviews from previous clients describing the process of cooperation with these companies.

Character Design Companies That Do Not Just Create Characters, But Breathe Life Into Them

Kevuru Games

Kevuru Games is a large game art and development company with many divisions, among which you can easily find character design services. There are separate departments dealing with 2D and 3D characters. Each of them is perfectly oriented in its direction – the 2D department creates characters for mobile and PC games of such genres as casual, hyper casual, HOPA and others, and the 3D department makes characters for AAA titles.

The feature of the company is the creation of characters specifically for games – the team adapts them to any game engine and ideally optimizes them for flawless display in the game. A separate advantage of Kevuru Games is that they are equally expert in working with both stylized and photorealistic characters. Among the company’s clients who have appreciated the company’s dedication to the creation of characters, you can see Lucasfilm, EA, Epic Games, Goodgame Studios, Socialpoint, Nanobit and others.

Dream Farm Studios

Dream Farm Studios is a Canadian animation studio specializing in the creation of 2D and 3D animation, from full-length animated films to commercial videos. The company also provides services for the creation of game art, in particular characters.

The company’s portfolio contains a large number of striking characters, most of which belong to the stylized direction. Character design teams are also experienced in creating so-called mascots – characters that represent a brand and introduce its products and services to customers. The company has partnered with clients such as Valnet, Firefox, Flaregames and others.

Room 8 Studio

Room 8 Studio is an outsourcing company offering services for the creation of AAA class game art. The team of artists has enough technical resources to create photorealistic 3D characters for games or animation.

The company has collaborated with many well-known gaming publishers – Activision, Ubisoft and others. In addition to the 3D direction, the company can also take on the creation of 2D art and characters, but they put less emphasis on this. The studio’s portfolio is full of various interesting projects and cases that will help form an opinion about their skills and expertise.

N-iX Game & VR studio

N-iX is one of the oldest Ukrainian game art outsourcing studios. Among other services, you can easily find 2D and 3D character designs here. The team focuses on both simple art for mobile games and more advanced art for rooftop PC games.

Among the studio’s clients, there are such companies as Wargaming, Paradox Interactive and Trese Brothers. Fantasy motives prevail in the portfolio of 2D characters, and among the 3D characters, you can find different styles and directions. The team is made up of mostly senior-level professionals with extensive experience and versatility, so they can easily adapt to the style and setting you want.

BluBlu Studios

It’s an award-winning American animation studio that knows how to create characters that tell the stories you want and deliver the messages you develop. The company does not work on purely game projects, but mascots, characters for advertising or design purposes are their cup of tea.

The studio has partnered with clients such as Nickelodeon, Riot Games, Panasonic and Microsoft. This is your choice if you need bright and memorable characters for advertising that will communicate with your customers and introduce your products and services to them.

AAA Game Art Studio

Although the company has only been in business for 5 years, its senior art team can boast over 20 years of experience in the gaming industry. This American outsourcing studio provides a classic package of art services, including the creation of 2D and 3D characters.

AAA Game Art Studio has worked with clients such as Ubisoft, Playrix and Bandai Namco. In the portfolio, you can see that their strong point is fantasy characters. Despite its name, the studio not only works with AAA level art, but also casual and hyper-casual games and related art.

Stepico Games

Stepico Games is a Ukrainian art outsourcing studio that creates game art, games on the Unity engine and AR/VR-based applications. The company’s clients include Rovio, NBC Universal and Section.

Among other services, the company is engaged in the creation of 2D and 3D characters. The team is experienced and professional enough to work both on simple characters for mobile games and on three-dimensional characters for larger projects. So far, the team has implemented more than 25 successful projects.

Starloop Studios

Starloop Studios is a Spanish game development and game art company. Many diverse artists of different styles work here. The number of them may vary depending on the chosen cooperation model and the scale of the project. If necessary, the team can be scaled up literally in a couple of weeks to the number of specialists up to 500 people.

Notable clients of the studio include Disney, Ubisoft and Blizzard Entertainment. The art team is working on 2D and 3D characters for mobile and PC games. Styles and directions can be very different since the company has a lot of experts in different directions of art.

Mortar Studios

If you are interested in character design studios that specialize exclusively in character creation and do nothing else, then Mortar Studios is your choice. It is an Australian outsourced character and animation video company. Although this studio is not represented on independent platforms, its website contains enough information, customer testimonials and links to third-party materials with case descriptions to be included in our list.

Among the main services of the studio, you can find the creation of character concepts, modeling, rigging, animation, creation of hairstyles based on 3D scanning and characters for augmented reality. The company has an impressive portfolio of realistic and stylized characters with projects ranging from simple cartoon designs to hyperrealistic renderings of humans and insects, as well as many positive customer reviews.

Airship Interactive

Another company not represented on independent platforms, but having too impressive portfolio to pass by. Airship Images is a UK based character design outsourcing studio for the gaming and film industries. It employs strong character artists who created art for games such as Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 2, Battlefield V, and Baldur’s Gate III.

A scrupulous approach to character hair design can be called a separate pride of the company. Many clients come here with just such requests. The studio prefers 3D projects of the AAA class – with such projects, the team can demonstrate all their skills and strengths.

How Kevuru Games Will Help You Achieve the Best Results

Character creation is extremely challenging, be it a character for a video game, commercial, movie, or mascot role. Therefore, you can only trust it to professionals, whose expertise is beyond doubt.

Of all the listed companies, it is Kevuru Games that has the greatest resources for creating memorable characters. The company has separate teams specializing in 2D and 3D characters, which in turn are divided into sections specializing in realistic or stylized characters. The artists of Kevuru Games have experience in creating characters for games of different genres, so upon receiving a request for creating a character, the company selects the optimal composition of the team containing specialists who can best cope.

Kevuru Games many times has proven its status as one of the most trusted character design studios, collaborating with Lucasfilm on 3D characters for Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, working with Nanobit on 2D characters for Tabou Stories: Love Episodes, and developing character concepts for the legendary Fortnite by Epic Games.

The company’s portfolio is replete with characters for all tastes, so you just have to study it and make your choice. The artists of Kevuru Games will create for you living, unique and self-sufficient characters that will favorably distinguish your game project from others and focus the attention of the players on you.

At the same time, artists not only blindly follow the instructions, but, thanks to their colossal experience, can give recommendations regarding the stylistics of the main characters and NPCs, advise to add or remove certain nuances, and even offer ideas from scratch if you dream of an interesting character, but have not yet come up with concept.

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The post Top 10 Experienced & Inspirational Character Design Studios in 2025 appeared first on Kevuru Games.

When it comes to tools, there’s a wide spectrum. Popular software includes 3ds Max, Blender, ZBrush, Maya, and SketchUp. Some of these are designed for professionals working on complex projects – think 3ds Max – while others are friendlier for beginners, like TinkerCAD or 3D Slash.

The 3D Modeling Industry: Present Status And Emerging Trends

The industry has grown fast thanks to tech innovation and market demand. Entertainment, gaming, architecture, and manufacturing all rely heavily on 3D work. Businesses use models for everything from advertising and product demos to medical simulations and VR experiences.

Better rendering engines, photogrammetry, and 3D scanning have boosted realism – making high-quality graphics and simulations easier to produce. With this, designers can build virtual worlds and accurate replicas of real ones.

The growth of VR and AR has pushed things further. These technologies need 3D assets at their core. Whether it’s for games, education, or retail, interactive models let users step into immersive environments or interact with digital objects layered on the physical world.

Why Choosing Correct 3D Modeling Firms is so Important?

3D models are an integral part of high-quality presentations, technical documentation, entertainment products, as well as the basis for creating a product prototype. Speaking about the areas of application of 3D modeling in more detail, the following can be distinguished:

1. Production. It is impossible to imagine modern
   production without pre-production modeling of products. In order to start
   production, it is necessary to create a 3D model of the object. On its basis,
   using rapid prototyping technologies (3D printing, milling, molding of silicone
   molds, etc.), a realistic prototype or sample of a future product is created.
2. Advertising. Three-dimensional graphics are
   indispensable for the presentation of the future product. After 3D
   visualization, the resulting model can be used to design packaging, website,
   presentation or to create outdoor advertising, POS materials and design of
   exhibition stands.
3. Urban planning. With the help of three-dimensional
   graphics, the most realistic modeling of urban architecture and landscapes is
   achieved with minimal costs. Visualization of building architecture and
   landscape design allows investors and architects to feel the effect of being in
   the designed space. That allows you to objectively assess the merits of the
   project and eliminate the shortcomings.
4. Video games. The first comprehensive 3D games
   appeared in the mid-90s of the last century. Now it is 3D games that are the
   top product of the entertainment market. In professional programs, experienced
   specialists manually draw three-dimensional landscapes, hero models, animate
   created 3D objects and characters.
5. Cinema. The entire modern film industry is focused on
   3D cinema. For such filming, special cameras are used that can shoot in 3D. In
   addition, individual objects and full-fledged landscapes are created using 3D
   graphics for the film industry.
6. Architecture. The technology of 3D modeling in
   architecture has long proven itself from the best side. Today, the creation of
   a three-dimensional model of a building is an indispensable attribute of
   design. Based on the 3D model, you can create both a prototype repeating only
   the general outlines of the building and a detailed prefabricated model of the
   future structure.
7. Interior design. As for interior design, with the
   help of 3D modeling technology, customers can see how their home or office
   space will look after repairs or redesigns, as well as think over a completely
   new design and evaluate it even before new furniture is purchased and repair
   work has been carried out.
8. Animation. With
   the help of 3D graphics, you can create animated characters, make them move,
   and also, by designing complex animation scenes, create a full-fledged animated video.

Regardless of the purpose for which you need a 3D model, this 3D model should be of the highest possible quality. After all, it depends on this how the future production will take place, how the customers or players will react, or what the budgetary framework of the future project is. Therefore, when choosing 3D modeling companies, you must weigh the pros and cons. The expertise of the selected modelers determines the success of your modeling project.

How to Choose Most Reliable 3D Modeling Studio?

Choosing any contractor is a scrupulous study of the 3D modeling companies that interest you and their profiles on various resources. We are primarily interested in three key positions:

The success of your game depends not only on its concept but also on the team behind its creation. In this guide, we’ll walk through the essential steps to ensure you choose a professional game development studio that aligns with your goals and aspirations.

Embarking on the game development journey requires more than just a creative idea; it demands a reliable and skilled team to transform that idea into a captivating reality. Choosing the proper game development studio sets the foundation for success.

We offer you a list of specially selected 3D modeling companies of different specializations. They passed our verification according to the above 3 criteria and proved themselves to be worthy partners.

Selection Methodology

While selecting the following 3D modeling companies, we have focused on their websites and profiles on independent platforms such as GoodFirms, Clutch, DesignRush and others. We have researched the range of services and the portfolio confirming them, client reviews, the list of tools used, as well as the procedure for accepting an application if there is relevant information.

Professional 3D Modeling Companies with a Proven Track Record

Kevuru Games

Location: Ukraine

Established: 2011

Employees: 350+

Specialization: game modeling

The Ukrainian studio Kevuru Games offers 3D modeling services for gaming products and any other projects, one way or another related to the gaming component. The company includes several 3D divisions, each of which is responsible for its direction of 3D modeling – characters or environment. The 3D modeling team completed over a hundred projects and created 3D art for a variety of clients, including Lucasfilm, Epic Games, EA. These clients valued the team’s commitment to the game industry. The Kevuru Games team provides full-cycle game development and that gives an advantage over many competitors.

The studio has a rich portfolio of realistic 3D models of assets, and especially characters – experienced character artists here create AAA-level models. One of the most prominent highlights is the creation of 3D characters for Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.

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There are individual artists who have vast experience in solid surface modeling, and there are also specialists in sculpting. The team is formed depending on the request, so that almost every time its composition is unique and includes specialists who will best cope with your task. If you are interested in game modeling or creating models for the future gamification of your business application, then Kevuru Games is an excellent choice.

In addition to game modeling, we offer architectural and product modeling and visualization services from our sub-brand 3Nitro. A team of experts in this field are ready to create 3D interior and exterior, skillfully model furniture, fashion products and packaging, as well as create drawings of the required level of complexity and detail.

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Another popular project, IRON ORDER 1919, is a cross-platform strategy game based on World War I scenarios and beyond that has more than 8 million players. The goal of the game is to capture most of the map. Kevuru’s team created 3D models of so-called mechs—semifictional combat vehicles that play a key role in the battle. The Artists managed to create realistic textures, rusty, rough materials, and primarily realistic proportions, as well as ground, water, and air-type mechs and combat vehicles for 3 key factions: germans, british, communists.

One more project we want to outline is the Birdly Insect VR simulator where the team faced the challenge of creating stunning lifelike 3D environments of nature and birds and insects 3D models. Kevuru Games’ team was engaged in different levels of VR simulator and ensured to create immersive experience for those who want to feel the life of the nature:

• 3D environment artists created models of plants and insects;
• 3D character artists who created bird models;
• 3D animators who did animation for all model

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The Kevuru 3D Department  artists possess the skills required in various artistic genres and who are knowledgeable with a range of visual styles, in addition to weapons, characters, settings, and props. Different techniques are needed when working with weapons, robots, cars, and other hard-surfaced things. So Kevuru’ artists make use of specialist tools and software, such as Maya, Blender, UE, and ZBrush, Fusion.

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Wow-How Studio

This Ukrainian studio specializes in the full cycle of animation creation. In turn, this cycle also includes the creation of 3D models, if you are interested in an animated 3D video. A large number of producers and motion designers work here – they will create for you the product you are interested in from scratch, regardless of its complexity and purpose. So if your request includes the creation of 3D models for video content and its further deployment, then you are definitely in the right place.

Ufo3D

This 3D modeling studio is engaged in creating visual materials for the production and promotion of various products. The key service is 3D modeling. The company offers to create models for marketing, commercial and production purposes.

The company’s track record already includes more than 1000 completed projects. Among them, you can see models of furniture, jewelry, appliances, electronics and fashion products. This 3D modeling studio will be an excellent partner for creating product models that already exist or are just planned to be launched into production.

NBY IT Solution

With many years of experience in 3D, NBY IT Solution is ready to provide services in the field of 3D modeling, rendering, visualization, animation and design. These areas relate to the gaming industry and the creation of models for games, as well as architectural modeling of buildings and commercial modeling of various products.

Despite the large number of services offered, the company successfully copes with the distribution of competent specialists for specific tasks and successfully completes projects on time. It will not offer you AAA-grade graphics, but it will be able to implement simpler graphics tasks well or create a high-quality model of an existing product. At the same time, the prices here are much lower than in other similar studios.

Miracle Studios

This Indian company is engaged in 3D modeling both for games and for commercial purposes. In particular, here you can order 3D models of your products for listing on Amazon and other trading platforms. Modelers also develop 3D models for AR/VR-based applications, tutorials and simulators, and more.

More emphasis is placed on stylized 3D models for games. This 3D modeling studio can both work with ready-made concepts from the client and create individual concepts for your project after a thorough discussion of your needs and goals. If necessary, the studio prepares the model for future animation.

3D-Ace Studio

3D-Ace is the Ukrainian division of the Program-Ace company for the production of 2D/3D content. Particular emphasis is placed on low-poly and high-poly 3D models of varying complexity and purpose. The company’s 3D modelers have over 10 years of experience working with models for such fields as marketing, architecture, education and manufacturing.

The studio works on models for 3D visualization of products, 3D catalogs, virtual tours, simulators, etc. There are also specialists for creating game models for Unity and Unreal engines. The portfolio is quite extensive and confirms that the studio has dealt with both product modeling and games and has expertise in both directions. Game modeling is dominated by asset, vehicle and building models, while commercial modeling is dominated by furniture and appliances. Take a closer look at this studio if you see the item you need in the above list.

Zatun

This Indian 3D modeling studio is completely dedicated to game art. Despite the relatively small staff, the company boasts a fairly large portfolio of 3D characters, vehicles, assets and objects for the environment.

All game models are adapted to the game engine you need and, if necessary, are prepared for animation. As for the areas of special pride, these are models of military equipment, weapons and equipment – in the company’s portfolio, you will find many impressive samples.

ThePro3DStudio

ThePro3DStudio is an American 3D visualization company for e-commerce, architecture, education, advertising and manufacturing. The small age of the studio is not a drawback – it has already accumulated many positive reviews from clients and a large number of cases.

The key directions of the company are 3D product modeling and rendering, furniture modeling, creation of 3D designs ready for printing, interior and exterior modeling, as well as 3D sculpting. In terms of products, the company dealt with models such as gadgets, home appliances, electronics, medical equipment, and fashion objects and home decor items. The studio’s portfolio is especially distinguished by its interior designs – they are diverse, visually appealing and well-designed.

3DDevice

This is a Ukrainian company fully focused on 3D – it sells 3D printers and scanners, as well as creates 3D models that can then be printed on a 3D printer. This is the main specialization of the company in the 3D modeling service – the creation of models for 3D printing.

In addition, the studio is engaged in 3D modeling based on drawings, sketches and real objects, 3D modeling for medical purposes, as well as architectural 3D modeling. In the portfolio of the 3DDevice studio, you can find a huge number of examples of prototyping, small-scale production and 3D printing of plastic parts created on the basis of 3D models.

VegaCADD

Custom modeling of furniture and various products is the main service of the American studio VegaCADD. Local specialists are also ready to prepare created models for animation, create a virtual tour, walkthrough and 3D architectural floor plans for interiors and birds-eye rendering for exteriors.

The models created in the studio can be used in the architectural, commercial and advertising spheres. 3D modelers here have many years of experience and an excellent understanding of the specifics of 3D modeling to create the perfect product or architectural design. The studio’s portfolio includes many worthy examples of furniture modeling and 3D rendering of interiors and exteriors, which can be considered a key specialization of the company.

Key Considerations for Effective 3D Modeling Collaborations

3D projects usually involve more than just one person pushing polygons. Modelers, animators, riggers, clients – sometimes entire cross-disciplinary teams – all touch the same files. Without structure, things get messy fast.

Clear Communication Channels

Slack threads, Zoom calls, Miro boards… it doesn’t matter what tool you use so long as everyone knows where to look for updates. If expectations, deadlines, or design notes live in five different places, errors are guaranteed.

Defined Roles and Responsibilities

In a production pipeline, somebody has to know “this character is mine” or “I’m on rigging duty.” Otherwise two people end up re-skinning the same mesh, wasting hours. Having defined roles doesn’t mean silos — collaboration works best when boundaries are clear but flexible.

Version Control and File Management

If you’ve ever opened model_final_FINAL2.obj, you know why version control matters. Studios lean on Perforce, Git LFS, or cloud asset systems to keep revisions in order. That way nobody models on an outdated file by mistake.

Collaboration Tools and Platforms

Real-time whiteboards, shared review platforms, even cloud rendering farms. They’re not just conveniences; they change the pace of iteration. Instead of waiting overnight for a local render, artists can test lighting in minutes and move on.

Feedback and Iteration

The earlier and more open the critique, the better. Iteration should involve not just the team but clients and, where possible, sample end-users. A model that looks perfect to the artist may not actually fit gameplay or architectural intent until it’s tested in context.

Technological Innovations Driving 3D Modeling

The industry is moving fast, and the toolset shifts with it. A few trends stand out:

Advanced Rendering Techniques

Physically based rendering (PBR), ray tracing, global illumination. These aren’t buzzwords anymore; they’re standard in engines like Unreal and tools like Blender’s Cycles. Light behaves more like light, and that alone changes how realistic models feel.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Slipping on a headset to step inside a 3D scene is no longer sci-fi. Architects walk clients through unfinished buildings. Game designers test scale and interaction in VR before coding a single mechanic. AR goes the other way – bringing digital assets into the physical world, whether that’s a furniture preview in your living room or a character projected into real space.

Real-time Collaboration Tools

COVID sped this up. Studios scattered across continents now work in the same scene at the same time using cloud platforms. Instead of passing heavy files back and forth, teams co-edit assets like Google Docs – except they’re sculpting meshes, not typing paragraphs.

How Kevuru Games Will Help You Achieve the Best Results

Kevuru Games is primarily a game company, so here you will find the best specialists in game 3D modeling. At the moment, the company is already 12 years old, and 3D modeling is one of its strongest departments. It brings together experienced industry old-timers with 20+ years of experience, as well as young and incredibly talented 3D artists. 

Due to our collaboration with significant triple-A gaming companies, we have expertise in AAA game development. Most of our artists and developers are highly skilled experts who have worked on projects of diverse scopes and intricacies, have a higher education in contours, have sculpting skills, and know anatomy very well to depict characters or other objects as realistically as possible. 

Clear responsibility allocation, well-defined procedures, and transparent project management all contribute to meeting deadlines while adhering to all style and quality standards.

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In addition to a powerful 3D character department that creates models for games like Star Wars, Kevuru Games boasts a large 3D environment team that creates realistic settings and 3D assets for games of various genres and styles. Over the entire period of the company’s work, the team has implemented more than 100 3D projects related to both casual mobile games and large-scale AAA blockbusters with a multi-million army of fans.

Kevuru Games’ 3D modelers are not just professionals in their field. Their main feature is that they know how to listen and hear the client. If you have a clear concept of future 3D models that you need to follow without the slightest deviation, they will visualize it in 3D in full analogy with the material provided. If your idea is not yet fully formed, requires additions or assumes variability, then our artists will offer a huge number of options that meet the highest aesthetic standards and keep up with modern gaming trends.You can easily make sure that these are not simple words by going to the portfolio section of our 3D modeling company. We will carefully analyze your request and select the optimal 3D team for your project. Rest assured that the result will exceed all your expectations.

You can easily make sure that these are not simple words by going to the portfolio section of our 3D modeling company. We will carefully analyze your request and select the optimal 3D team for your project. Rest assured that the result will exceed all your expectations.

The post 10 Best 3D Modelling Companies in 2025: Productive Business Partnership appeared first on Kevuru Games.

What is Godot?

Godot doesn’t cost a thing – it’s free, open source, and that’s a big reason indie teams and solo devs keep picking it up. No need to have lots of experience in game dev to start working with it. Despite being a new software, it has many fans, especially among indie developers.

Godot really shows its strength in 2D. Platformers, pixel-art experiments, top-down RPGs – it feels like the engine was built with those in mind. And since it’s open source, the community isn’t just along for the ride. People contribute fixes, add features, and shape the direction of the engine itself.

That grassroots feel is a big part of why so many devs are drawn to it. People who make the software give tutorials, code, plugins — it’s a place where different developers work together. That can help if you get stuck or try new things.

Features of Godot

• Customizable and Modular – Godot’s highly flexible engine design allows developers to tweak and adapt it to their specific needs. There are no hidden fees or proprietary SDKs — everything is open for customization and extension. Video game creators can use C++, C#, and GDScript. The last is a Godot’s built-in scripting language, which is a combination of Lua and Python. You have an option to create 2D and 3D games with Godot.
• Scene System – Godot’s scene system lets developers create complex game objects by assembling simple objects called “nodes” hierarchically.
• 3D Engine – Godot’s 3D engine is fast and optimized, supporting features like physics, animations, and shading.

Pricing of Godot

Godot boasts a unique pricing feature—it’s free, with no strings attached. It’s under the MIT license, which means developers can use the engine for commercial projects without being required to disclose their project’s code or any other resources provided alongside it.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Godot

Because it’s completely free, Godot has a clear edge when it comes to cost-effectiveness – there are no licenses or subscription fees to worry about. It also shines in 2D, which makes it a strong pick for teams building sprite-based games or smaller projects. The trade-off is the marketplace. Compared to Unity’s Asset Store, Godot’s library is still pretty small, so you may spend more time creating assets yourself or leaning on community resources.

What is Unity?

Unity shows up everywhere – from hobbyist projects to indie darlings, mid-tier AA releases, and even the occasional AAA title. Its appeal isn’t hard to see. The engine’s flexible, comes with plenty of built-in features, and supports just about every platform developers care about.

That reach is its real superpower. Build once, then push to mobile, PC, consoles, or even AR and VR. For teams aiming to grab players on different devices, that’s huge. And if you look at Unity’s back catalog, you’ll spot everything from quick puzzle games to massive adventures that stretch for hours.

On the 3D side, Unity is no slouch either. Its physics, lighting, and rendering tools are strong enough to make worlds that look sharp and feel alive. Whether you’re throwing together a prototype or fleshing out a big open world, the engine has what you need to get from idea to playable build without hitting too many walls.

Features of Unity

• Highly Versatile – Unity works across just about every genre and platform. Unity can take on just about anything – from small 2D puzzle games to large-scale 3D worlds. One of its big strengths is cross-platform support, which means you can build once and push to mobile, PC, or consoles without rewriting everything from scratch.
• Powerful Editor – Another reason Unity is so popular is the editor itself. It comes with handy tools like a visual shader editor and state machines, and its rendering engine can deliver high-end visuals when the project calls for it. The editor is also pretty intuitive, so teams can focus more on creating than on fighting the interface.
• Asset Store – The Unity Asset Store is a time-saver. It’s packed with ready-made assets, plugins, and tools that help speed up development. Need a character model, a skybox, or a script template? Chances are, someone’s already made it and you can drop it straight into your project.

Pricing Unity

Unity offers a range of pricing options. It is free for personal use with revenue less than $200K in the last 12 months. Unity Pro plan costs
$2,200 /yr per seat, and for large enterprises, there are individual pricing plans.

Pros and Cons of Unity

Unity’s support for high-quality graphics and its extensive marketplace dedicated to assets and tools are among its paramount advantages. However, its more complex learning curve can disadvantage beginners, and developers may also find themselves paying for add-ons they need for their games.

Godot vs Unity: Main Differences

When picking between Godot and Unity, a few things really stand out – graphics, scripting, and community support are usually at the top of the list.

Scripting Language. Unity sticks with C#, which is everywhere in game dev and has tons of documentation behind it. Godot takes a different route with GDScript – a Python-style language made for the engine that’s easy to pick up if you’ve touched any coding before. For heavier projects, you can also dip into C++ for performance, or use VisualScript if you’d rather work with nodes instead of writing code line by line.Scripting Language: Unity primarily uses C# for scripting, while Godot supports GDScript, a Python-like language explicitly designed for Godot. Godot also supports C++ and VisualScript, a node-based scripting language.

Quality of Graphics. Godot’s renderer has come a long way and every update makes it better, especially on the 2D side where it already feels strong. Unity, though, still has the upper hand when raw visual power matters. Its rendering pipeline has been around longer, it’s more refined, and it makes high-fidelity visuals easier to pull off. If your project is chasing cutting-edge graphics, Unity is generally the safer bet.

Asset Stores. Unity’s Asset Store is massive. Need characters, environments, shaders, or tools? Chances are you’ll find something pre-made that saves you weeks of work. Godot’s asset library is growing, but it’s still smaller – you’ll rely more on the community or build things yourself.

Choosing between the two will largely depend on your game’s specific needs, your team’s skill set, and the type of game you’re developing.

Which is Better for Beginners?

If you’re brand new, Godot usually feels less intimidating. The layout is cleaner, the workflow makes sense, and you can jump into building without fighting the interface for hours. The community around it is smaller, but very active – lots of tutorials, lots of examples floating around. It’s the kind of setup where you can tinker and actually see results fast.

Unity’s a different beast. It throws a ton of tools at you right away, and that can be overwhelming. Still, the flip side is that if you put in the time, you’ll find support everywhere – forums, YouTube, full-blown courses. The learning curve is steeper, but once you get over it, you have access to a much bigger ecosystem.

Scripting Language

The scripting language you work in can make or break how comfortable you feel. Unity sticks with C# – it’s powerful, flexible, and fits nicely into game development workflows. Most devs like it because it balances performance with readability.

Godot, on the other hand, offers the flexibility of choosing between GDScript, VisualScript, and C++. GDScript is optimal for quick prototyping and smaller projects, while C++ allows for more complex behaviors and optimizations in larger, more performance-intensive games.

Quality of Graphics

When it comes to graphics, Unity usually gets the edge. Its rendering pipeline is mature, adaptable, and packed with features for high-end visuals – think high-definition rendering, realistic lighting, and polished effects.

Godot isn’t quite there yet, but it’s closing the gap with every release. Its 3D renderer has visual shaders, dynamic lighting, and more than enough to build solid-looking games. And in 2D, Godot is often praised for being easier to work with than Unity.

Asset Stores

Unity’s Asset Store is a huge time-saver – thousands of ready-made assets, tools, and plugins that you can drop straight into your project. For many teams, it cuts weeks off the timeline.

Godot’s asset library is not as extensive as Unity’s, yet it’s growing steadily. It includes various free and open-source assets that developers can use to enhance their projects. While it may not offer the same level of convenience as Unity’s Asset Store, it aligns well with Godot’s open-source ethos.

Industry Presence

Unity is a giant in the industry. Big studios, indie teams, even enterprise clients rely on it, and you’ve definitely played high-profile games made with Unity. Its track record is long and established.

Godot is younger, but it’s gaining a lot of traction with indie developers. The open-source model is a big draw for teams that want to avoid licensing costs or lock-in. It’s not powering as many blockbuster titles yet, but the momentum is there.

Community

The community is often a driving force behind the success and adoption of a platform. Unity’s community is massive, vibrant, and diverse. It offers abundant resources, support, and collaboration, making it an excellent environment for learning and growth.

Godot’s community is passionate and dedicated, while not as large as Unity’s. It’s more close-knit, with people openly sharing ideas, code, and improvements. Since the engine is open source, users aren’t just asking for features – they’re often the ones building them. It feels more personal, almost grassroots, and a lot of developers appreciate that.

Verdict

So which should you pick – Unity or Godot? There isn’t a single right answer. If you’re chasing something free and lightweight, and especially if your project leans toward 2D, Godot can be a great fit. Smaller teams tend to like it for exactly that reason.

Unity, on the other hand, comes with more of everything – bigger tools, a huge asset store, and a community that can bail you out when you get stuck. It’s often the safer choice if you’re aiming for scale or need to hit a lot of platforms.

Both engines can make high-quality games. The real question is scope, budget, and team preference. A small indie group might get up and running faster with Godot, while larger teams could benefit from Unity’s depth and ecosystem. Either way, both are solid choices – it’s about matching the tool to the project.

The post Godot vs Unity: All You Need to Know appeared first on Kevuru Games.

The Basics of Game Economy Design

By understanding these basic concepts, game developers can create a dynamic and engaging economy that enhances the player’s immersion and enjoyment of the game. 

1. Encourage player engagement: A well-designed economy can incentivize players to continue playing the game in order to earn rewards and progress further.
2. Balance and fairness: An effective economy ensures that all players, regardless of skill level or play style, have the opportunity to succeed and progress within the game.
3. Player choice and decision-making: A good economy design allows players to make meaningful choices about how to spend their resources and progress through the game.
4. Encourage social interaction: Economies can also be used to promote social interactions between players, such as through trading, sharing resources, or engaging in cooperative gameplay.
5. Monetization: In many free-to-play games, the economy is designed to encourage players to spend real money on in-game purchases, such as cosmetics, power-ups, or other virtual items.
6. Longevity and retention: A well-designed economy can help prolong the lifespan of a game by providing ongoing challenges and goals for players to strive towards.

Key Elements of Game Economy Design

1. Resources: This includes in-game currency, items, experience points, and other resources that players can earn, trade, or spend within the game.
2. Balancing: Balancing the economy involves ensuring that resources are distributed fairly and that players can earn or acquire resources through various means.
3. Sinks and sources: Sinks are ways for players to spend resources, such as purchasing items or upgrading equipment, while sources are ways for players to earn resources, such as completing quests or defeating enemies.
4. Inflation and deflation: Designers must consider how the economy will evolve over time, including how prices may change, how resources may become more or less scarce, and how new content may impact the economy.
5. Player progression: The economy should be designed to facilitate player progression, providing clear goals and rewards that incentivize players to continue playing and investing in the game.
6. Feedback loops: Economies should incorporate feedback loops that allow players to see the impact of their decisions and actions on the game world, helping them understand the cause-and-effect relationships within the economy.
7. Adaptability: A good economy design should be flexible and adapt to changes in player behavior, the game environment, or new content updates. 

Purposes of Video Game Economy Design

In video game development, the design of the in-game economy is crucial in shaping the gaming experience and driving engagement. Two primary purposes of designing video game economies are to motivate players and manage player progression.

Motivate Players

A well-designed video game economy motivates players by offering compelling incentives, rewards, and challenges. By incorporating various mechanics, such as in-game currency, rare items, and unlocking progression, economies create a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction for players as they navigate the game world.

Reward systems in-game economy design provide players with tangible rewards for their achievements and efforts, reinforcing positive behaviors and encouraging further engagement. Rewards can range from experience points and virtual currency to cosmetic items, gear upgrades, and exclusive content.

It helps recognize player achievements through achievement leaderboards and social features. Public recognition and rewards incentivize players to strive for mastery and excellence in the game.

Competitive elements, such as player-run markets, auctions, and leaderboard competitions, encourage friendly rivalry and the motivation to outperform peers. Challenges and scarcity create a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging player participation and investment in the game.

Guide player progression

1. Set clear goals and objectives for players to strive towards, ensuring they have something to work towards and stay motivated.
2. Reward players for their achievements and progress, reinforcing their efforts and encouraging them to continue improving.
3. Provide constructive feedback on players’ performance, highlighting areas for improvement and offering guidance on how they can progress further.
4. Create a supportive and encouraging environment for players to learn and grow, fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork.
5. Offer opportunities for players to challenge themselves and step out of their comfort zones, pushing them to reach new levels of skill and ability.
6. Recognize and celebrate players’ successes, whether big or small, to boost their confidence and motivation.
7. Encourage players to set personal goals and track their progress, allowing them to see how far they’ve come and how much they’ve achieved.
8. Continuously challenge players with new and exciting tasks, keeping them engaged and motivated to continue progressing.

Why Do You Need a Well-Balanced Game Economy Design?

A balanced game economy design is important because it helps to create a fair and enjoyable gaming experience for players. Without a balanced economy, players can easily exploit loopholes or glitches to gain an unfair advantage, leading to dissatisfaction and frustration among players.

In addition, a balanced economy helps ensure that all in-game resources, such as currency, items and experience points, are properly allocated and distributed, creating a sense of progression and accomplishment among players. This can help maintain player engagement and increase overall player satisfaction.

Game Economy Design Examples

Examples of good game economy design include:
1. Implementing a system of supply and demand for in-game items to prevent inflation or deflation of currency.
2. Providing a variety of ways for players to earn and spend currency, such as quests, challenges, and in-game shops.
3. Balancing the difficulty of obtaining rare items or currency to maintain a sense of accomplishment for players.
4. Regulating the rate at which players can earn experience points to prevent power leveling.
5. Implementing a fair pricing system for in-game purchases to avoid pay-to-win scenarios.

How Does an In-Game Economy Work

In-game economies work similarly to real-world economies, with players earning and spending virtual currency (such as gold, coins, or points) in-game. Players can earn currency by completing tasks and missions or selling items to other players. They can then spend this currency on in-game items, upgrades, or services.
In-game economies can also involve a marketplace where players can buy and sell items with each other, setting their own prices based on supply and demand. This creates a player-driven economy where prices can fluctuate based on market conditions.
Players can also participate in virtual jobs or businesses within the game to earn currency, similar to real-world employment. This can involve activities such as farming, mining, crafting, or running a shop.
Overall, in-game economies provide a way for players to interact, trade, and compete with each other, adding depth and complexity to the gaming experience.

Learning to Use Taps and Sinks

In video game development, learning to use taps and sinks is vital, as it allows players to interact with their surroundings, complete tasks, and progress in a virtual environment. In the context of a game economy, learning to use taps and sinks can represent the management of resources and currencies. Taps symbolize the acquisition or generation of resources, while sinks represent the consumption or expenditure of those resources. Players learn to balance their use of taps and sinks to maintain a stable economy and progress efficiently within the game.

Builders: examples

Builders in an in-game economy are players who specialize in resource acquisition, production, or construction. Examples include:

1. Crafters: Players who excel at crafting items or equipment using raw materials from the game world.
2. Farmers: Players who focus on harvesting resources from agricultural activities such as planting and tending crops or raising livestock.
3. Miners: Players specializing in extracting valuable minerals or ores from mines or underground caverns.
4. Builders/Architects: Players who construct buildings, structures, or landscapes within the game world, utilizing resources to create new environments or enhance existing ones.

Builders Games Examples

1. Roblox – where players can create their own games and experiences;
2. Minecraft – players can build and craft their own worlds;
3. The Sims – players can design and build virtual homes and communities.

Spenders: Examples

Spenders in an in-game economy are players who primarily invest resources or currency into acquiring goods or services. Examples include:

1. Consumers: Players who purchase items, equipment, or upgrades from in-game shops, vendors, or marketplaces.
2. Investors speculate on the value of in-game assets, currencies, or commodities, seeking to profit from market fluctuations.
3. Collectors: Players who collect rare or unique items, artifacts, or achievements within the game, often spending resources to acquire coveted possessions.
4. Patrons: Players who support the game’s development by purchasing premium content, subscription services, or virtual currency packs.

Spenders Games examples:
1. Clash of Clans – players can spend real money to buy in-game currency and resources;
2. Candy Crush Saga – players can purchase power-ups and extra moves to progress in the game;
3. Fortnite – players can buy skins, emotes, and other cosmetics with real money.

Implementing an In-Game Currency

You can create a virtual currency system within your game to implement an in-game currency. This currency can be earned through various in-game activities such as completing quests, winning battles, or selling items. Players can then use this currency to purchase items, upgrades, or unlock content within the game.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to effectively introduce and manage an in-game currency system:

1. Define the Purpose: Determine the primary purpose of the in-game currency, whether it’s for purchasing items, unlocking content, or facilitating player-to-player transactions. 

2. Design Currency Mechanics: Decide on the mechanics of earning and spending the in-game currency. Establish the rate players can acquire the currency and the pricing of items or services available.

3. Create a Balanced Economy: Ensure that the introduction of the in-game currency does not disrupt the balance of the game economy. 

Implement checks and balances to prevent inflation or currency hoarding, such as taxation, sinks, or diminishing returns on currency acquisition.

4. Implement Currency Systems: Integrate the in-game currency into various aspects of the game, including shops, auctions, crafting, and player interactions. To enhance player understanding and engagement, provide clear instructions and user interfaces for earning, spending, and managing the currency.

5. Monitor and Adjust: Monitor the performance of the in-game currency system, including player feedback, transaction data, and economic indicators. Be prepared to adjust the currency mechanics, pricing, or distribution methods based on observed trends, player behavior, and game balance considerations.

Game Examples of Implemented In-Game Currency:
1. World of Warcraft – players can earn gold through quests and activities in the game;
2. Grand Theft Auto Online – players can earn in-game currency by completing missions and heists;
3. FarmVille – players can earn coins by harvesting crops and completing tasks on their virtual farm.

Monetizing Your In-Game Economy

To monetize your in-game economy, you can offer players the option to purchase virtual currency with real money through in-game purchases or microtransactions. You can also offer exclusive items or content that can only be purchased with real money, giving players incentives to spend money within your game. However, it’s essential to ensure that this does not create a pay-to-win scenario, where players who spend money have a significant advantage over those who do not. By implementing an in-game currency and monetizing your in-game economy, you can generate revenue for your game while providing players with additional ways to enhance their gaming experience.

Here are some effective strategies for monetizing your in-game economy:

1. In-App Purchases: Players can purchase in-game currency packs or premium items using real money.

2. Subscription Services: Introduce subscription-based models that grant players access to premium features, content updates, or recurring currency rewards.

3. Advertising Integration: Integrate non-intrusive advertising placements within the game interface, such as banner ads, sponsored content, or rewarded videos.

4. Virtual Goods Marketplace: Create a virtual marketplace where players can buy, sell, and trade in-game items, currencies, or services with each other.

Examples of Monetized In-Game Economy:
1. Mobile games often offer in-app purchases for virtual currency or items;
2. Subscription-based games like World of Warcraft charge a monthly fee for access to the game;
3. Free-to-play games like Fortnite offer in-game purchases for cosmetic items to generate revenue.

How to Balance Different In-Game Resources

Balancing different in-game resources is essential to ensure a fair and enjoyable gameplay experience for all players. Here are some tips on how to balance different in-game resources:

Activity Type

Understanding the activity players engage in is crucial in determining the resources needed for balance. For example, in a resource management game, players may need to balance multiple resources such as gold, wood, and food, while in a combat game, players may need to balance resources such as health, and stamina.

Difficulty Level

The difficulty level of the game can also impact resource balance. For example, in a hard difficulty setting, players may have limited access to resources, while in an easy difficulty setting, resources may be more abundant. Adjust the availability of resources accordingly to match the game’s difficulty level.

Capped or Uncapped

Some games have capped resources, meaning players can only accumulate a certain amount of a resource at a time. In this case, balancing resources involves managing the limited availability of resources and making strategic decisions on how to use them. On the other hand, in games with uncapped resources, players can accumulate as much of a resource as they want, which may require a different approach to balance.

Implement Resource Regeneration

To balance resources, consider implementing mechanisms for resource regeneration. This can include renewable resources, such as mines or farms, which continuously produce resources over time. By providing a steady supply of resources, players can avoid running out of essential resources and maintain balance in the game.

Use Feedback and Testing

It’s important to gather feedback from players and conduct playtesting to ensure that the resources in the game are effectively balanced. Players can provide valuable insights on resource availability, usability, and overall balance, which can help you adjust to enhance the gameplay experience.

How to Design a Game Economies That Works Well

Designing a game economy that functions smoothly and enhances the overall gameplay experience requires careful planning and consideration of various factors. Here are some key steps to effectively design a game economy:

Establish the Main Indicators of the Game

Identify key indicators driving the game economy, such as currency value, resource availability, player progression, and market dynamics. Define metrics to measure player engagement, economic stability, and overall success of the economy.

Determine Investment and Non-Investment Resources

Classify resources within the game as either investment or non-investment based on their role in player progression and strategic importance. 

Investment resources may include currency, experience points, stocks, bonds, real estate, mutual funds or rare materials that players can use to enhance their capabilities or advance in the game.

Non-investment resources could be consumable items, basic materials, or temporary boosts that provide short-term benefits without a long-term impact on player progression.

Build a Cost System

Establish a cost system that assigns values to in-game assets, services, and transactions. When determining the costs of items, upgrades, or services, consider supply and demand, rarity, utility, and player preferences. Implement pricing strategies encouraging balanced resource management, economic exchange, and player decision-making.

1. Each player starts with a certain amount, say $10.
2. To advance in the game, the player may pay a particular cost. This cost can vary depending on the value of the space players are moving to. For example, moving to a space worth $50 will cost $5, moving to a space worth $100 will cost $10, and so on.
3. Players can also earn money by landing on certain spaces, completing challenges, or defeating other players in mini-games within the game.

Deficit and Surplus For a More Interesting Game

While designing your game, you can create mechanisms within the game economy to simulate deficit and surplus conditions, adding depth and challenge to the gameplay.

A deficit and surplus system will be in place to make the game more interesting. If a player’s expenses exceed their earnings, they will incur a deficit. This deficit can lead to consequences such as losing certain game privileges or starting over from a certain point.

Conversely, if a player’s earnings exceed their expenses, they will have a surplus. This surplus can lead to rewards such as extra turns, special power-ups, or exclusive access to certain areas of the game board.

Balance Risk and Reward

Design gameplay mechanics that balance risk and reward to encourage player engagement and decision-making. Introduce opportunities for players to take calculated risks, such as investing in speculative ventures, participating in high-risk activities, or engaging in player-versus-player interactions.

Final Insights

The design of a video game’s economy shapes player experience and decisions, impacting motivation and enjoyment. Currency, resources, and trade systems are key elements, influencing player interaction and progression.

Understanding basic concepts like player engagement, and decision-making helps developers create engaging economies that enhance immersion and enjoyment. Economies should motivate players to continue playing by offering rewards and progression opportunities, regardless of skill level. An effective economy provides equal opportunities for all players and ensures fairness in resource distribution.

The post What is Video Game Economy Design? appeared first on Kevuru Games.

Do Unity and GameMaker Studio Do the Same Thing?

Choosing the right platform for game development impacts the final product, whether you’re creating a game for mobile, console, or PC. Among the various game development platforms, GameMaker vs Unity are versatile options capable of bringing your digital worlds to life.

But which one should you choose? Do Unity and GameMaker Studio do the same thing? GameMaker Studio 2 vs Unity enable game creation but excel in different areas.

Unity is a multi-platform game engine marketed to professionals. It’s a robust, versatile, and scalable engine, offering extensive capabilities Unity or Gamemaker for 2D and 3D game development, real-time simulations, and interactive experiences.

On the other hand, GameMaker Studio 2 is more tailored to those new to game development with its intuitive drag-and-drop system while still offering the flexibility of coding for more advanced users. It’s trendy for creating 2D games across multiple platforms and has a supportive community.

What is GameMaker Studio?

GameMaker Studio 2, developed by YoYo Games, is a powerful 2D game development platform. It is known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, which allows developers to build complex games without needing to know coding. However, for those who prefer coding, GameMaker Studio 2 includes its proprietary coding language, GameMaker Language (GML), based on C.

The platform’s focus on rapid development and simple prototyping makes it a favorite for independent developers and small studios. It supports various platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, HTML5, Android, iOS, and others. With built-in extensions and a marketplace for assets and plugins, GameMaker Studio 2 offers a comprehensive package for game developers.

What is Unity?

Unity is a popular game development platform: versatile and flexible. Created initially as a Mac OS-exclusive 3D game-creation tool, Unity has since grown into a cross-platform ecosystem hailed for its 2D and 3D game development abilities.

Unity’s strengths lie in its robust editor, which allows developers to create stunning visual effects, complex animations, and realistic physics with relative ease. Unity offers an extensive library of assets, a vast marketplace for extensions, and a helpful community, making it a top choice for developers of all levels.

Unity vs GameMaker Studio 2: What Are the Differences?

Unity and Gamemaker Studio 2 are well-known game engines. Let’s examine their main differences from one another. 

What are Unity and GameMaker Suite Most Suitable For?

Unity is a comprehensive game development platform renowned for its versatility and robust feature set. It offers a wide range of functions that are suitable for creating various types of games, including:

1. Graphics and Rendering: Unity provides powerful tools for creating visually stunning 2D and 3D graphics, including advanced rendering techniques, shaders, and post-processing effects.
2. Physics Simulation: Unity’s built-in physics engine enables developers to simulate realistic physics interactions, such as collisions, gravity, and object dynamics, enhancing the realism and immersion of games.
3. Animation: Unity’s animation system allows developers to create complex character animations, cutscenes, and interactive sequences, bringing their games to life with fluid and dynamic movements.
4. Audio: Unity offers robust audio tools for adding immersive sound effects, background music, and spatial audio to games, enhancing the overall audio-visual experience for players.
5. Scripting and Programming: Unity supports multiple programming languages, including C#, JavaScript, and Boo, allowing developers to write custom scripts to control game logic, behaviors, and interactions.
6. Cross-Platform Deployment: Unity developers build games for a wide range of platforms, including PC, mobile devices (iOS, Android), consoles (PlayStation, Xbox), web browsers, and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices.
7. Asset Store: Unity’s Asset Store provides a vast marketplace where developers can find pre-made assets, plugins, and tools to enhance their games, speeding up development and reducing costs.

GameMaker Studio:

GameMaker Studio is a user-friendly game development platform designed for creating 2D games, particularly suited for beginners and indie developers. Its functions are tailored to simplify the game development process and include:

1. Drag-and-Drop Interface: GameMaker Studio features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, which allows users to create game elements, define behaviors, and set up game logic without writing code.
2. Scripting Language (GML): For more advanced users, GameMaker Studio provides its own scripting language, GameMaker Language (GML). This language offers flexibility and control over game behavior, allowing for custom game mechanics and features.
3. Sprite and Animation Editor: GameMaker Studio includes built-in tools for creating and editing sprites (2D images) and animations, enabling developers to design characters, objects, and environments for their games.
4. Room Editor: The Room Editor allows developers to design game levels, layouts, and scenes, placing objects, backgrounds, and other elements to create immersive game environments.
5. Physics and Collisions: GameMaker Studio offers built-in physics and collision detection systems, making it easy to implement realistic interactions between game objects, such as platformer mechanics or projectile physics.
6. Cross-Platform Deployment: Like Unity, GameMaker Studio supports cross-platform deployment, allowing developers to export their games to various platforms, including PC, mobile devices (iOS, Android), and consoles.
7. Asset Marketplace: GameMaker Studio provides an asset marketplace where developers can find and purchase additional resources, assets, and extensions to enhance their games, expand their capabilities, and speed up development.

Which tools can be integrated with GameMaker Studio 2 and Unity?

Suitable Applications:

Unity is highly versatile and suitable for a wide range of applications, including:

• 3D and 2D games for PC, consoles, mobile devices, AR, and VR.
• Interactive experiences, simulations, and training applications.
• Architectural visualization and virtual tours.
• Educational games and gamified learning platforms.
• Multimedia and interactive storytelling experiences.

Integrations:

Unity supports a vast array of integrations and plugins, including:

• Graphics engines like Unreal Engine and CryEngine for advanced rendering.
• Audio middleware such as FMOD and Wwise for immersive sound design.
• Animation tools like Blender and Maya for character animation.
• Version control systems like Git and Perforce are used for collaborative development.
• Analytics platforms like Unity Analytics and Google Analytics are used to track user behavior.
• Ad networks like AdMob and Unity Ads offer monetization.

GameMaker Studio 2:

Suitable Applications:

GameMaker Studio 2 is particularly well-suited for:

• 2D games across various platforms, including PC, mobile devices, and consoles.
• Retro-style games, platformers, shooters, and puzzle games.
• Rapid prototyping and iterative game development.
• Educational projects and beginner-friendly game development workshops.

Integrations:

GameMaker Studio 2 offers integration with a range of tools and services, including:

• Sprite and image editors like Aseprite and GraphicsGale are used to create game assets.
• Audio editing software such as Audacity and FL Studio for sound design.
• Game development frameworks like Haxe and OpenFL for cross-platform support.
• Code editors like Visual Studio Code and Sublime Text for scripting and coding.
• Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook for sharing game updates and engaging with players.

Pros and Cons of Both Platforms

Alternative Game Engines

Developers considering GameMaker Studio 2 and Unity should also explore alternative game engines that may better suit their particular project or skill set, such as Unreal Engine, Construct, Godot, or Cocos2d.

These are just a few examples of other engines available in the market. Each caters to different preferences, skill levels, and project requirements. Developers should explore and evaluate these options based on their needs and goals to find the most suitable game engine for their projects.

Summary

In conclusion, Unity and GameMaker Studio 2 cater to different needs and preferences within the game development community. Unity excels in versatility and advanced features, making it suitable for a wide range of projects, while GameMaker Studio 2 offers simplicity and accessibility, particularly for 2D game development and rapid prototyping. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on project requirements, budget, and developer skill level.

The post Unity Vs GameMaker: What is the Preferred Choice for Game Development? appeared first on Kevuru Games.

Roman Kochergin, Head of the 3D Department of the Kevuru Games company, delves into the features and process of creating characters of all styles, shares the secrets of creating them for AAA projects, and advises 3D artists who dream of creating masterpieces.

Intro

The task of characters in games is not only to allow the player to control this or that body or object. The task is to immerse the player in the narrative and provide all the necessary functions for immersion in the game process, such as moving, conducting dialogues, showing emotions, various interactions with the environment, etc.

It’s not possible to imagine a game without characters, except for casual games like “Match 3” and others. Even in such products today, there is often an additional plot line with characters and their motivation to progress through the game process, while the main game mechanics remain in a symbol-matching game format.

Depending on the plot, setting, platform, and many other factors, game characters differ in their core, essence, and style.

There are a vast number of styles of 2D and 3D graphics, but for the sake of simplification, they can be divided into two main definitions:

1. Stylized characters (with a cartoon appearance)

2. Realistic (where the characters look lifelike)

But they all perform one crucial function: immersion in the game.

How To Create Characters That Will Love Millions of Players

However, not only characters trigger our deep emotions in the gameplay. Along with them, there is a mass of no less vital things, such as the environment, mood, game script, style, etc.

It is necessary to work out the general character’s appearance and convey his life story through his clothes, temper, voice, and look to create a genuinely fascinating character who will trigger the player and make him experience positive or negative emotions. It is not enough to briefly describe the character’s story so we can feel him as something alive with a past. Designers should take into account all the intricacies of the script. It’s when your character radiates logic in his existence, his temper mirrors his life experience, and his actions and motivation are reasoned; his appearance in general reflects his story. Such a character awakens curiosity and a desire to walk in his shoes and experience his journey.

An excellent example of well-thought-out characters is the Star Wars universe and the games based on it.

All the story’s characters are thought out profoundly and in detail. All of them have a vast life path, which is often not reflected in the narrative but is quite clearly reflected in each character’s appearance, temper, and motivation. In this case, it is enough to hint to the player about the character’s past in the plot to introduce how this personality will already gain meaning and interest us.

There are also games based not on the plot but on a competitive basis. A vivid example can be Fortnite. When the storyline does not oblige the players and other characters in the game to follow a predetermined plan. The characters can be much more diverse, often having nothing in common with each other or the world around them, giving us complete freedom of action within the game mechanics.

The main task of such characters is to be attractive to the player, often referring to characters in cinema, books, games, etc. Still, their appearance can be a pure flight of artists’ imagination.

This approach does not negate the requirement to stick to a particular style in the game, and despite the lack of connection between certain characters, they still look harmonious next to each other.

Real People and Fantasy Characters: Features of Creating Characters by the Kevuru Games Team

Each style dictates its own unique requirements and approaches to character creation. There is a typical delusion that stylized characters are much easier to create and require low-level skills from designers, but this is not true.

Any stylized character requires a very expressive appearance and a well-thought-out anatomy, considering how the character moves, articulates, and expresses emotions.

In the case of realistic character creation, all this is also necessary; therefore, most often, highly skilled artists are divided into specialists in creating realistic and stylized characters.

The main goal of the Kevuru team is to create graphics of the highest quality for clients, which is why we actively focus on developing our experts’ skills, improving the qualifications of each individual, and maintaining the most comfortable working conditions within the teams.
Among the guys who create characters, there are specialists of different levels, starting with Junior Artists, who most often develop their skills with more experienced specialists and Team Leaders. The team’s core comprises Middle and Senior Artists working on AA and AAA level projects.

As in all other 3D areas, we divide our 3D Characters team into artists by stylization and realism. Nevertheless, most of the experts have some narrow specializations, which we emphasize while training and improving qualifications. Such specializations include the skill of working with hair and wool (Grooming Artist), sculptors with excellent knowledge of human anatomy, artists specializing in the creation of animals and birds, etc.

The Process of Creating Characters From A to Z

As we have already discussed, different game styles and genres dictate their unique approaches and requirements for each character. Based on such requirements, we create a unique pipeline of characters, which can look like this:

Concept

It’s the basis for the process of creating any 3D character. One of the most important stages is the planning stage. The character acquires its unique appearance, story, and mood at this concept stage. This work includes a detailed drawing of the character from all sides, his things, and objects that will always be with him.

Also, everything hidden from the players’ eyes (for example, under a coat) is worked out at this stage. And it’s necessary to create the correct anatomy and further character animation.

The concept stage consists of several iterations, starting with dozens of quick sketches that are gradually filtered out in search of the project’s most harmonious and suitable silhouette. It ends with a detailed analysis and drawing of each button, material, and location.

Blocking

Most 3D characters pass this stage, except for the project’s rare stylistic and technical features.

Blocking is a simplified 3D modeling of a concept that displays the primary volumes and shapes of the body and objects of the future character. At this stage, the body’s basic proportions, the joints, and other parts are worked out.

High-Poly

At this stage of character development, artists work out and detail the future character. Based on the approved blocking, all the elements of the character’s anatomy, clothes, and objects are recreated, starting with working out the muscles, oral cavity, and shoe soles, ending with the pores on the face skin. Most of the work at this stage is performed in sculpting mode. One of the most popular programs for creating High-Poly is Zbrush.

Creating a character’s clothes can be a separate process, depending on the future character’s style and the type of clothes he wears. In some cases, you can get by with only one Zbrush program, but when it comes to AAA-level realistic characters, their clothes are often created in third-party programs, such as Marvelous Designer. This program allows you to sew any clothing and simulate its physical properties on the character’s body.

After such manipulations with the clothes, we reassemble all the parts in the Zbrush program, where all the complex and ambiguous parts of the 3D model are adjusted and corrected. All the tiniest details, such as zippers, patches, pockets, buttons, etc., are finished and positioned.

The hair of the character, if the model is stylized, is created in pure forms without leaving Zbrush, but if it is necessary to work with realistic hair, then the process of creating it can be transferred to third-party software and plugins, such as Xgen, Ornatrix, Houdini, Fibershop, etc.

Retopology

When the High-Poly model is ready, it must be optimized. This process is necessary to reduce the model’s weight and the number of its polygons to a minimum. Using a high-polygonal model is simply impossible since all the device’s computing power will go to processing only this model.

That is why, based on a High-Poly model, a Low-Poly copy is made of it. It has thousands of times fewer polygons and total weight. The Low-Poly version can be created in different modeling programs, such as Maya, 3ds Max, Blender.

At this stage, it is necessary not only to reduce the weight of the model but also to take into account the peculiarities of working out the mobile areas of the character for future animation, such as elbows, knees, fingers, etc.

UV scan

This stage of work is necessary to further transfer the detailing of the High-Poly model to its Low-Poly version. The UV scan is where it is transferred. This stage can be described as work with origami, when a three-dimensional figure is created from a plane using a fold, only, in our case, everything is the other way around. We lay out the parts of the ready-made volumetric body of the Low-Poly model on a plane.

Baking

It’s one of the most mysterious processes, especially for people unfamiliar with 3D graphics. With a little magic and work on setting up the necessary resources in the programs Marmoset Toolbag or Substance Painter, and thanks to a pre-prepared High-Poly model, a well-developed Low-Poly version, and UV scanning, all the detailing from the High-Poly model is transferred to its Low-Poly version.

In fact, we can call it fake detailing since all volumes transferred from true HighPoly geometry are only 2D information on a flat texture map, and thanks to physical lighting in a 3D scene, we get the illusion of this detailing, which is already enough for a decent appearance of the 3D model, even with a minimal number of polygons.

Texturing

Model texturing is the process of painting and creating materials. Depending on the pipeline and requirements for the model, you can choose the most suitable program for this stage of work: Substance Painter, 3D Coat, Marmoset 4.

Different technical approaches to future materials are used for different genres and styles; we usually use Handpaint and PBR texturing.

Regardless of which pipeline we use, the process of texturing 3D models is similar to layer-by-layer drawing in Photoshop, except that many things in this process are implemented not only by manual drawing but also by procedural generation and filling.

At this stage, the character gets the final touch. After completing this process, all character materials are saved in the necessary formats, depending on where and how we want to use the character further. Game engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity, or their own product companies’ engines are usually used. Each of them has some requirements for textures, which is performed at the final stage of exporting after the completion of texturing.

Our Tips For Beginners

Well, if you’ve come this far, it’s because you’re passionate about art and developing characters. And to continue, we’ll give you some advice that can help you on this road and show you that you’re not alone on this journey. So let’s go.

1. Learn everything about human anatomy. Studying the fundamentals is something we use for life. Look for books and courses, and don’t limit yourself to 3D software. Fundamentals of drawing and artisanal sculpture form an artist with more vision and prepare you for more significant challenges.

2. Visit museums and study different cultures and ethnicities. The more you understand the character, the more connected you become, so decisions will be better when producing something extraordinary that makes more sense to people.

3. Be humble and let go of your ego. Emotional intelligence is something you can have control over. Some studies can be frustrating, but mistakes are part of success. Don’t despair. Create processes to deal with challenges, and be better at each turn, noting where you need to study, focus more, or correct the course. Accept feedback, write bits of advice, follow tips, and be honest with your work. Look for errors and correct them; over time, the memory will know what should or should not be done to achieve the result, which requires experience.

4. Ask everything you can. At first, it may seem not comforting, but write down your questions and try to find the answers yourself. After you have done all the research, if you need more information, ask more experienced people.

5. Manage your studies, create trello, spreadsheets, and over time, you can monitor your results. This will make you more motivated and happy to continue at full strength.

6. Take everything you do seriously. If you are going to make an outfit, try to make the best in the world, aim high, and seek excellence, but observe the world and keep in mind that the best have dedicated a lot and spent hours of research and work. Refrain from comparing yourself to the results of other artists who have been in the industry for 20 years. You are starting and must go the same path we have all gone through.

The post Creating 3D Characters for AAA Games: The Secrets of Success appeared first on Kevuru Games.